Finding Sleep
by EricaX
Summary: Takes place during HA2. This is a fic that fills in the gaps of the movie and focuses on Harry and Marv, the Wet Bandits, as they find a place to stay for nights they stay in New York. The movie focuses on Kevin, well this is about the Wet Bandits and what happens to them after the movie. Slash.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Finding Sleep**

**Fandom: Home Alone**

**Pairing: Harry and Marv**

**Rating: T (for now) It's slash and talks about it a bit. Rating may change later. **

**Summary: Takes place during HA2. This is a fic that fills in the gaps of the movie and focuses on Harry and Marv, the Wet Bandits, as they find a place to stay for nights they stay in New York. The movie focuses on Kevin McCalister. Well, this is what the Wet Bandits were up to during those parts. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

**Notes: This fic is dedicated to Aline Riva! She inspired me to write this fic with her own lovely HA fanfictions, which you should all check out and read after reading this one! **

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The streets of New York were bustling with people in the cold December air as everyone did their last minute Christmas shopping. Among the pedestrians walked two men who were known as the Wet Bandits. After having just arrived off a semi-truck full of fish, the two of them were excited to know they were now free from jail and were both ready to take on the days ahead of them. However, in their grand scheme of escaping jail and being on the run until they got some form of other travel, neither had planned on the simple troubles that lay ahead of them.

"Man, I'm starving" commented Marv Merchants as gave his stomach a light squeeze. His stomach chose that moment to grumble in agreement. He was wearing several layers of tattered clothing, a thick brown jacket being worn on top. His thick curly brown hair stuck on end and swayed slightly in the frigid wind.

Harry Lyme was walking beside him, a deep frown on his face as he glared out at everyone they walked past on the streets of New York. "That's the third time you've brought that up, Marv." He huffed quietly. He wore a heavy brown coat and a thick green scarf around his neck in an attempt to keep himself warm. A black wool hat was worn on his balding head.

"Well, it's true!" defended the other Bandit, glancing down at his left hand which was currently covered in stick white masking tape. He was currently pulling off the coins of money he had snatched out of the nearest Santa Clause they had walked by on the street. Harry had, of course, reprimanded him again for stealing the change, but the taller man had ignored him; he still fully believed that every little bit helped. Not to mention his excitement in claiming that they were now known as the "Sticky Bandits" rather than the "Wet Bandits". Either way, it irritated Harry.

"Just don't think about it then! Don't think about the fact that you're hungry!" groused Harry.

"I can't! Everywhere I look I either see a vendor, a restaurant, or a sign with food on it!" continued Marv.

"Well, forget about it! We don't have any money to buy any food with!" snapped Harry. Marv sighed and looked back down at his hand, nearly walking into someone as they went. Harry grumbled darkly as he caught Marv's sleeve, pulling on it enough to help Marv avoid being hit by a traffic sign. "And watch where you're goin'! I won't think twice about leaving ya on the ground if you run into a pole and pass out cold."

However, his words went on deaf ears as Marv picked off a dime from his sticky thumb. He stared at the dime for a moment before his mind finally clicked and his eyes went wide. "Hey, Harry! We DO have money!" Harry glanced up at his friend, taking a hand and adjusting the tight wool hat on his head. Marv shoved his tape covered hand at Harry, who flinched back slightly to avoid getting stuck to it. "The money I've been taking from those donation buckets! I've been doing that for over an hour now and I'm sure I've hit at least a dozen of them!"

"Marv, we've only passed about SIX of those things" pointed out the shorter bandit.

Marv nodded uncertainly, "I know, Harry. That's why I said a dozen…"

Harry rolled his eyes as the scowl on his face deepened. "A dozen is twelve! Six is HALF a dozen!" He grumbled, shoving past an older man with a beard. He ignored the man's protests as they continued walking through the crowd. Marv furrowed his brow, trying to figure out how he had messed that up.

His contemplations were short lived as his brown eyes fell back to his hand, his idea about the money he'd been stealing coming back to him. "Well, anyways, Harry, the point is; I've been collecting money! I'll bet if we count how much I've collected in my pocket; it'd be enough to get us something to eat!"

Harry opened his mouth to castigate him again, when Marv's words sunk in. He blinked and glanced up at his friend, who was once again wearing his silly and childish grin. Harry chose his words carefully. "I can't believe I'm about to say this, Marv. But that's actually a good idea."

Marv just stared at his friend as though waiting for him to finish. There had been no sarcasm in his voice. No mockery or scorn. Harry had sounded truly impressed. "R-Really?"

Harry could tell that Marv was shocked that his own idea had been good, but decided not to comment on it. "Yeah, Marv. I think it's a great idea!" He paused to look around for a place to stand and check out the amount of money Marv had stolen. He gestured his arm for Marv to follow him towards an alley entrance with some boxes lined up against the brick wall. "Come on, pull out what you got."

Marv grinned widely and reached into the large pockets of his dingy brown coat. As Marv did this, Harry gave a wary glance at the crowd of people walking back and forth down the sidewalk, making sure no one was eavesdropping. It was a habit they had both picked up from years of being bandits. Harry figured neither of them would ever again be able to walk down any street without looking over their shoulders every now and then.

Harry tore his attention away from the crowd and back to Marv's hands, which were now filled with the change he had stolen. Minding Marv's sticky hand, he took a finger and sifted through the coins in the other's hands. Calculating the amount of money before him in his head, Harry deduced that Marv had three dollars and seventy-five cents. Harry frowned. That was not the amount he had anticipated; he had hoped his lanky friend had been able to steal more. "This was all ya got?" he grimaced. "A kindergartener could have stolen more than this!"

Marv blinked down at him. "No! That's not all of it! There's a bunch more in my pocket! This was just all I could fit into my hand!"

Hiding his relief, Harry sighed. "Well, what are ya waitin' for! Bring it out!" Marv whimpered slightly, looking uncertain of what to do with his hands full. Harry gave a huff and offered out his own hands, allowing Marv to hand him what he already had. Of course, Harry had to wait impatiently while Marv pulled off most of the change from his sticky hand.

About ten minutes later, Harry had counted out that Marv had stolen a total of twelve dollars and forty-two cents. This had been quickly followed by Marv's amusing cry of, "Wow! No wonder my pockets were so heavy!" Harry was now the one who was holding onto the money, mainly because Harry didn't feel like waiting for Marv to peel off the money from his sticky hand again.

The two of them proceeded to walk through the streets of New York, now searching for a good place to eat. Harry figured they could easily be able to get something to eat with the money they now had. Perhaps they would even have a few dollars extra for later.

"You know, I gotta hand it to ya, Marv. I honestly didn't think much about your idea of stealin' from the Santa Clauses, but now it doesn't seem so bad. Ya managed to help with our hunger problem" smirked Harry as they turned a corner to walk across another street. Harry coughed slightly and waved his hand out in front of him as he walked over a steam grate. Marv was smiling broadly; it wasn't often Harry was complementing him, especially for an idea of his.

"Aw, shucks, Harry. It was nothin'" blushed Marv. He always enjoyed moments like this. Moments when he was receiving praise from Harry, his closest friend and companion. The two of them walked side by side along the throng of people. Marv became lost in thought as he followed alongside Harry, wondering where they would be heading to eat. Harry seemed to be deep within his own thoughts, a light scowl on his face. Marv's idea had been great and all, but they still had a lot more other things to worry about. Marv had stolen enough money to get them food for the moment, but what about later that night? What about tomorrow?

It wasn't until someone bumped into his shoulder did Harry snap out of his thoughts. He glanced back, annoyed that he had been hit. His eyes landed on a small kid walking in the other direction. Nothing seemed too out of the ordinary, but for some reason there was a nagging feeling in his mind that told him that kid was familiar. There had been a name written on the kid's backpack, but he had been unable to read it. He turned back around, shaking his head. Marv saw this and asked, "What's the matter?"

Harry frowned and replied dismissively, "Thought I saw somethin'."

Marv glanced back to see for himself, wondering what could have Harry so concerned. He didn't like it when things bothered Harry, unfortunately, it seemed everything bothered him these days. Ever since they had escaped jail, Harry had been even more arguable and aggressive than ever before. It made the taller man nervous to think about it. So far, Harry hadn't turned this new anger on him and Marv hoped it stayed that way. Harry was the most important person to him and he couldn't stand the idea of Harry being mad at him.

Both men had been so preoccupied with their thoughts that neither of them were ready when Marv smashed himself against a thin blonde woman and nearly making both her and Marv fall over. Marv was quick to recover and regain his balance, however; his sticky hand was now glued to her purse. Harry watched silently as Marv tried prying his hand off her purse, making the woman more and more uncomfortable with each tug. Harry watched on in mild concern, a part of him wanting to help, but another thinking it would be best to stay out of it. With a final pull, Marv managed to free himself.

Harry watched with a scowl as Marv sheepishly smiled at the woman and tried to flirt with her by speaking what very little French he knew. Harry could feel his blood boil as he watched Marv look at the woman the way he was now; the way he was speaking to her. The slap Marv received from the woman a second later was revenge enough for the flirting attempt he had tried and it made Harry feel rather pleased. Marv had never been good with women, which was probably part of the reason for their close relationship; but it still made Harry uncomfortable whenever Marv spoke to women that way.

"Serves ya right!" sneered Harry, giving Marv a punch in the arm. "Come on!" He stormed off ahead of him, hearing Marv mumble, "I think she likes me…"

Harry walked off in front of Marv, hearing Marv's cry of triumph after he had his sticky hand pulled off from the side of his face. The shorter man knew he shouldn't feel as jealous as he did and it was a miracle his ego even allowed himself to admit he was slightly jealous. It wasn't even about the fact that Marv had interacted with an attractive woman while he didn't. It was the fact that Marv had acted that way around someone else at all.

Marv finally seemed to come out of his daze and realized Harry's sudden mood swing. Marv was not the sharpest tool in the shed, but even he knew why this was. He sped walked a few feet so that he was caught up to his friend, leaning down slightly to talk to him. "Uh, Harry-D-Don't be mad about what happened back there—It was—"

"Can it!" snapped Harry. He would have none of it; Harry was not in the mood. "It was your stupid fault! You should have paid attention to where you were goin'!" Harry didn't say anything more about the subject and Marv didn't bring it up again. The taller man knew his actions had gotten on the other man's nerves.

Between the two of them, Marv was by far the more open and affectionate one. However, Harry was known for showing his true colors for the other man whenever he felt the slightest bit threatened. The relationship between the two of them was tricky, in ways. Harry insisted it was nothing; what they had between them. Yet Marv didn't buy it. He knew there was much more underneath the surface. It had been this way for about a year now. It started a month or so back before they had been thrown into jail after stealing from the McCalister house. Besides, friends did not do some of the stuff they have done to one another….

Marv's thoughts were shattered when Harry finally spoke up, his voice a little more steady and with less anger in it. "Alright, well, pick a place you want to eat. Any place around here you think looks good?"

Marv scratched the back of his hand with his right, un-sticky hand, making his brown curls even more of a mess. He glanced around at their surroundings, looking for a place to eat. His brown eyes landed on a small coffee shop that sold hamburgers as well. He pointed at it. "What about that place?"

Harry looked to where he was pointing and read the sign above it. 'Uncommon Grounds' it read. Harry looked over the shop's windows and entrance, figuring out if it was deemed worthy enough to waste their money on. They reached the shop and stopped before it. Harry immediately started reading the sign that was plastered on the inside of the window that read some of the specials they were having. This place sold more than just coffee, it seemed.

Harry nodded. "Alright. Let's go in."

The shop wasn't very busy, allowing them to get their order quickly. Both bandits looked over the menus that were on the wall before them; a cashier waiting for them to decide. Marv began picking at his teeth with his good hand, his eyes never leaving the menu above their heads.

"Alright, I know what I want" declared Harry as he stepped before the cashier. He glanced back at Marv. "You know what you want?"

"…Yeah…." Answered Marv uncertainly, his eyes still on the menu.

Harry frowned. "I can wait another minute if you need—"

"No, I know what I want!" retorted Marv more sharply. Harry gave him an odd look before turning back to the cashier and ordering.

"I'll have a chicken sandwich with lettuce and tomato. And I'll also have a Coke with that" he said. The cashier nodded and turned to Marv, who was still looking up at the menu as he picked at his teeth.

"I'll have what he's having" he muttered after a moment, finally tearing his eyes away.

Harry narrowed his eyes at him as he paid and received his change. Marv was glancing nervously around them, now turning to biting his nails. The time they had spent in jail had made Marv more skittish than he ever used to be. He fidgeted more now; he was never able to sit still for very long. He picked at his teeth and bit his nails now, which was something he never used to do. It was no secret that the time they had spent in jail had messed with Marv slightly. It had messed with them both really. Not only was Marv more skittish, but Harry had noticed Marv having a more difficult time focusing on things and other simple tasks. His mind always seemed far off and away.

Their food came quickly enough and Harry paid with the change Marv had stolen. He had gruffly apologized for everything being in change though in actuality he didn't feel one bit sorry. He was just thankful they were able to eat at all. Once they had sat down with their food at the side wall of the shop; sliding into booths, they began eating in silence until Harry spoke up.

He gulped down some of his sandwich and looked at Marv from across the table almost accusingly. "You weren't able to read the menu, were you?"

Marv flinched at his words and placed his sandwich down on the plate it had been placed on. He stalled in answering by taking a long sip of his Coke. "No, I could."

"Don't lie to me."

"I really could! I can read the menu!"

"I've noticed you have more trouble reading now. Ever since we got in jail you've been having trouble. Not that you could read very well to begin with…."

"I don't have any trouble reading, Harry!" Marv practically shouted this, earning him a swift kick in the leg from Harry. The curly haired man grunted at the impact. They both nonchalantly looked around their surroundings, seeing that no one had paid them any mind.

"Would you keep it down?" hissed Harry, leaning over the table slightly. He adjusted the green scarf around his neck before turning back to eating his sandwich. "We're tryin' to keep as low a profile as possible until we can make some cash and get outta here!"

Marv nodded, his lips in a tight line. "Well, I can read. Don't say I can't."

"I'm not going to argue with you over this again, Marv."

It looked as though Marv wished to say more on the issue of his reading, but he kept his mouth shut. Besides, Harry's words had brought on a whole new line of thoughts in both their minds. In ways, it had brought them back to reality. They did have to keep a low profile. Not to mention the main problem: finding a place to sleep.

It was bad enough that they had no clue if they were going to get to ear, but now they had nothing to guarantee they would be able to find a place to sleep either. Sure, Marv's sticky hand was bringing in some money, but they wouldn't be able to depend on that for long; it could barely buy them food. Breaking out of jail had seemed like such a wonderful thing earlier that morning when they had snuck out of the semi-truck filled with crates of fish. But now that they were out in the open, both of them were unsure of what their next move was to be.

Harry had said something about getting some airline tickets and heading to some far off country, but nothing more had been said about it. Marv didn't like to think about it; but he often pondered if Harry even knew what they were going to do. He knew Harry was the type of guy who hated to admit when he was wrong or didn't have a plan, but he had the offhand feeling that this was one of those times.

"Harry?" voiced Marv as he finished off his sandwich.

"What, Marv?" replied Harry with a sigh; his gaze focused on the door of the shop as he watched other costumers enter the shop.

"Where are we going to stay tonight?"

There it was: the question that neither of them knew the answer to. The question that had both of their minds filled with worry. Yet Harry brushed his question with an uneasy answer, "I'm still workin' that out!"

Marv nodded, knowing that by that tone of voice there was no room for discussion. Harry was always the one who figured things out. Harry was always the one who figured out their next move and got them out of troubling situations.

Marv gave a loud sigh, disappointed that his sandwich was already gone. He wouldn't mind having another one. Possibly even a third one with how hungry he was still feeling. He was sure Harry was feeling the same way. Though what they had was going to have to suffice. Marv placed both his hands down on the table, immediately regretting it a moment later for he had forgotten his left hand was still bandaged in sticky tape. He tugged at his hand yet it didn't budge from its spot on the table; having fully gotten stuck to it. He tried pulling again with no result. He tugged even harder, making the whole table shift slightly. This gained Harry's attention.

"What are you doin'?" he demanded, annoyed that his thoughts had been interrupted yet again by Marv's silly antics.

"My hand is stuck" grunted Marv as he continued to try prying his hand off the table.

"Serves ya right! You should have taken it off!" growled Harry.

"No! Then I wouldn't be able to steal change as easily!" responded Marv and with one last final tug he managed to get his hand unstuck. Harry kept the table from moving too much. He knew it was sealed to the wall and had support underneath, but the way it had been moving had made him nervous. Last thing they needed was to grab attention to the workers at the shop.

With one last indignant sigh Harry said, "Come on, let's get out of here." He scooted to the edge of the booth and stood up; fixing his coat and making sure the buttons were tightened.

Marv quickly followed suit, being more mindful of his hand. He did not wish to get stuck to anything again. The two of them walked out the door to the coffee shop and both immediately shivered, the cold December air running right through them. Marv took a step closer to Harry, looking in both directions as they decided which way to go. "Where should we go now?"

"I dunno. We should figure out a place to stay for tonight. We certainly can't stay out in this cold. We'll freeze before the night is out" replied Harry with a shiver. Marv nodded to that.

"I'm not picky. So long as I'm with you, Harry" responded Marv with a goofy grin. Harry looked up at him with a smirk.

"You're hopeless…."chuckled the shorter man.

"No, I'm romantic" beamed Marv.

"Romantic and hopeless" muttered Harry as he started walking in a random direction down the sidewalk. His tone however was light hearted and there was still a smirk playing on his lips.

"Aww, come on, Harry. You know you like that about me. You've even said so yourself" chuckled Marv as he stuck his sticky hand into another one of the donation buckets and collected more change for them to use later.

"When? When did I say that?" inquired Harry. He stopped momentarily to look both ways before crossing the street, going as far as to grab the cuff of Marv's coat sleeve to make sure he was following. He let go once he was across the street. Marv was known to get lost in thought and forget to pay attention to where he was walking. Especially now that Marv was pulling off more change from his hand.

"You've said it many times! I can't remember just the one time! You usually say it in bed though." Marv had said this last bit more quietly, for he knew they were surrounded by strangers and saying it louder would only upset Harry. It wasn't that Harry didn't care for Marv, he truly did; he just didn't like announcing it publicly. Harry was more the type to be attracted to women and he preferred for people to think of him that way. However, Marv was the exception. The two of them had been together for several years now and not just in the means of being partners in crime. They were partners in every sense of the term. Harry Lyme was just simply not the type to be open with his emotions or broadcast his relationship.

Marv didn't mind it though. Harry yelled and hit at him, but at the end of the day Marv knew he cared. Harry was stubborn and bad tempered and often found it hard to pretend otherwise. He would not have put up with Marv for all this time if he didn't care.

Harry chuckled, "Yeah, that sounds like me. Alright, maybe I did. But to be honest with ya, Marv, I sometimes will say anything to shut you up in bed." He downright laughed after these words.

Marv gave a sideways grin, not sure if he was being complimented or insulted. "What are you sayin', Harry? That I'm loud in bed?"

"Loud, talkative, annoying; however you wanna word it."

"You make it sound like that's a bad thing!"

Harry stopped walking; making the crowd they had been walking with walk around them. He looked up at his friend and lover in the eyes. "Seriously, Marv, I wouldn't wanna have it any other way." He then promptly turned on his heel and kept on walking down the street, leaving a blushing Marv to follow in his tracks.

The two of them continued to walk through the streets for another hour or so before Harry had had enough. It wasn't doing them any good walking aimlessly through the city; they needed some sort of a plan. They stopped at a Subway entrance, watching people walk up and down the stairs that led to the subway tunnels. Marv leaned up against the railing, picking at his teeth with his good hand again.

"We need more money" he commented offhandedly.

"I know…." Groaned Harry, crossing his arms over his chest. He watched as pedestrians walked past them. "We're gonna have to steal someone's wallet."

"What good will that do?"

Harry frowned, his eyes narrowing as he turned to glare up at Marv. He grumbled for a moment and shook his head. "Is there anything in that head of yours, Marv? Anything?"

"Oh, I'm sure there's somethin'" chuckled the taller bandit, taking the question literally and not catching the insult attached to it. Harry shook his head and focused on the task at hand.

"Watch…..and learn…." Whispered Harry. Marv watched as Harry chose a woman who was walking with who he could only assume was her boyfriend. The boyfriend was currently saying something quietly into her ear as they walked by, distracting both of them. Being mindful not to grab the attention of the boyfriend, who could easily punch both their lights out, he reached his hand into her purse and snatched the first thing he could grab. The woman and her boyfriend didn't notice as Harry hid the item under his arm, not even truly positive if it was even anything he wanted. Once they were gone, Harry looked down and saw that they were in luck. It was her wallet!

"Nice one, Harry!" praised Marv, giving the other man a pat on the back. Harry smiled, a smug look on his face.

"Works like a charm!" He opened the light purple wallet to see that there was about eighty dollars inside of it. Not to mention several credit cards. "Nice! We'll be able to use these! So long as we ditch them later so that the cops can't track it back to us once the girl realizes it was stolen. We'll also have to use fake names in case the local cops have heard of our escape from Chicago." Marv nodded. He wasn't worried; Harry always knew what to do. "So, Marv, where would you like to be staying at?"

Marv shrugged noncommittally. "I don't know. Some place with heat."

Harry had expected a better answer than that. "Very descriptive, Marv. I was thinking of maybe a hotel."

Marv nodded. "That would be nice. Hotels have heat."

Harry forced himself not to roll his eyes. "I was thinking of a NICE hotel. I mean, we do have several credit cards here, Marv." He waved the wallet in front of Marv's face in emphasis.

Marv grunted in frustration. He threw his arms up in the air. "I dunno, Harry! Where were YOU thinking of staying? We can't stay at TOO nice of a hotel. Not like the Plaza or anything…."

Harry looked at him skeptically. "And why not?"

Marv gave him an incredulous look. "We don't have the money to—" he stopped short, blinking. Harry was giving him a knowing smile as it dawned on him. "Ooh!" He laughed at his own mistake, nodding.

"The Plaza it is then, Marvin!" he wrapped an arm around Marv's thin waist and started walking them both towards the direction of the Plaza. "You and I are about to sleep in comfort and class!"

"With big fluffy pillows?" asked Marv, his eyes lighting up with excitement.

"That's right."

"A television?"

"You betcha!"

"Just like living in the big house like we've always wanted…Only….temporarily…" Marv frowned at the thought.

"Yes, but then we can work on a good heist and get some cash and be outta here and living the big life before you know it!" exclaimed Harry with a renowned sense of thrill for the days to come. It was just like when they had been plotting their escape out of jail, only now they were a step further into the plan. They had had a bumpy start but now they were on their feet again.

Marv smiled, loving the sound of their plan more and more. What could possibly go wrong?

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Author's Notes: Well, there is the first chapter. Of course, I AM following the plot of the movie, so you should already know, something obviously does go wrong. But it would seem that Kevin McCalister is not the only one who is considering staying at the classy Plaza hotel. I have a lot more planned for this. This is only the first day in the city for them and as you know, they stay at least two nights. So, I'm hoping to have more written soon! I hope these two were in character enough. Please review so I know what you all think!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Author's Note: Alright, everyone! Here is the second chapter to 'Finding Sleep'! Enjoy!

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Marv could feel himself become more and more anxious and self-conscious with every step they took closer to the Plaza Hotel. The taller bandit could never remember a time in his life when he had been inside such a fancy place, let alone the Plaza. Though there was that one time he managed to get a date with a girl who had taken him to a classy restaurant, but Marv didn't think this was the same thing. Rich people stayed here, not convicts on the run.

"Relax, Marv. You're takin' this far too seriously. The more nervous you act, the more conspicuous we're going to be. Just act like ya walk into places like this all the time" Harry was reassuring him as they stopped across the street from the hotel. The two of them looked up at the tall building, having just walked through the park to get there.

Marv nodded, though his companion's words did nothing to control the butterflies in his stomach. He was busy fiddling with his left hand, feverishly trying to take the white masking tape off his hand. After a short, heated argument; which Harry won of course, they had both agreed it would be best if the sticky hand was absent during their stay at the hotel. "You want every eyeball in the joint staring at us and labeling us immediately as the crooks that we are? We can't blow this, Marv!"

Marv had conceded to taking it off, but only after having Harry promise him that he would buy more white masking tape so that he would be able to make another one. Harry let the matter drop at that.

"Alright" Harry was saying as he looked down at the purple wallet in his hands. He took out the credit cards and stuck them into his coat pocket so that they would be easy to get to. He looked up at Marv. "We're gonna go in there and give them our fake names. After we've paid for the suite, we're in! We just have to get past the receptionist counter and it's free sailin!'

Marv nodded with a grin, having just pulled the last of the masking tape off his hand. He grunted a bit, for the tape had been sticking to his skin. "Wow….My hand is all sweaty…." Harry cocked an eyebrow yet remained silent, his gaze focused on the hotel doors. As he gazed at his hand, Harry's words replayed in his mind and gave the curly haired man an idea, "Hey, Harry! Our fake names should be the same!"

This grabbed Harry's attention. "What?" He turned and looked up at his friend.

"Think about it!" chuckled Marv, stepping around to the other side of Harry. "Our last names should be the same. You know, like…uh….well, whatever our last names will be. Like, Merchants and Merchants. We should have the same last name!"

"What for? To pass off that we're brothers?" asked Harry, trying to understand what Marv was getting at. "That's stupid! Not to mention pointless. We look nothing alike! We can just say we're in town on business!"

Marv's smile faltered slightly as he blinked at him. "No, no, no. Not brothers…. Like a married couple…" Marv watched as Harry's face turned slightly red. He could tell that the shorter man was uncomfortable with the idea, as he knew he would be, yet Marv simply loved the idea of it. He and Harry were practically married as it was, seeing as how they were always together and he had always liked the idea of it being official in that sense.

Harry looked back and forth uncomfortably for a minute as he avoided Marv's eyes, glancing at the pedestrians walking around on the street. Marv waited patiently, though he was anticipating the answer. Harry took in a deep breath, shoving his hands into his coat pockets before finally meeting Marv's eyes with a stern look. "No, Marv. We'll just have separate names. No need to complicate things…" With that said he started off for the hotel, looking both ways before crossing the busy street.

Marv blinked at him, staring off after Harry with wide eyes. "'Complicate things'?" he echoed in confusion. He just barely remembered to look both ways before crossing, having nearly gotten hit by a taxi as it beeped at him. He recoiled slightly from the taxi before scampering off to follow Harry, who was still walking towards the hotel with an air of determination and dismissal. Marv found it best to just call after him, since it didn't seem that Harry was about to slow down. "Complicate things?" he called over. "What's to complicate? We'll just have shared names!"

Harry stopped in his tracks at this and turned on his heel just in time to see Marv nearly collide into him. The taller man managed to stop and catch his balance before he stumbled into Harry. "Keep it down! Do ya want the whole city of New York to know we'll be working under fake names?" he demanded. He didn't give Marv a chance to answer. "And again: No! We are not using same names! I don't know about you, but I don't want the whole damn hotel staff knowin' we're together!"

It finally clicked with Marv as to why Harry was so upset at his idea. It wasn't because Harry didn't love him; which was something Marv always found himself pondering over, it was because Harry didn't want anyone knowing about them. Marv would be lying to himself if he said Harry's reluctance to openly admit they were a couple didn't hurt him. It did a great deal, but he knew that fussing over it wasn't going to change matters. He was just thrilled Harry was with him at all.

Taking a hand and biting his nails, Marv nodded. His gloves didn't have any fingers on them, allowing him to bite them. He spat out the piece of nail he bit off and said, "It's okay, Harry. It was just a thought…" He paused for a moment as he bit another nail. "I just thought it would be fun."

Harry's irritation seemed to melt away at his words as he pushed open the Plaza hotel doors. "It IS a nice idea, Marv, I just don't want to do it…." He said this in a more quiet tone, absent of any and all anger.

"Okay, Harry…" muttered Marv. He hid it well, but Harry knew Marv was disappointed. He opened the door for Marv to walk in through and followed in after him, a frown on his face that, for once, had nothing to do with annoyance or anger.

Once the two bandits walked through the doors they were immediately captivated, the conversation outside gone from their minds. The two of them stood there, side by side, awestruck by the hotel's inside. Harry had seen plenty of commercials and had heard plenty about the sophisticated hotel to have an idea what to expect on the inside, however; it was always a different situation once you were there in person. Meanwhile, Marv, not being as intellectually sharp or observant as Harry, had never seen such a place as this.

The two of them contrasted greatly against the Plaza hotel. The hotel itself was everything they were not: Rich, elegant, clean, orderly; not to mention expensive. The guests were diffent from themselves as well. Everyone was dressed in their finest clothes while Marv and Harry looked like bums on the street; which frankly wasn't very far off.

"Gee, Harry, this place is amazing!" gaped Marv as he leaned his head back and stared at the intricate ceiling tiles. "Hey! I can see my reflection!" He announced happily, pointing a grimy half-gloved hand at the ceiling. Normally Harry would have rolled his eyes and elbowed him in the side for such a ridiculous comment, but the shorter man was too busy being enthralled by the environment around him.

As Harry glanced around the hotel lobby he took off his gloves, shoving them into his coat pocket. He tore his eyes away from the lobby to look down at his hands. They were dirty and sweaty after being under the old gloves for so long. He grimaced and fiddled with his coat. Pursing his lips, he glanced up at Marv, who was currently giving a small wave to his reflection on the ceiling with a goofy smile plastered on his face.

Sighing, Harry shook his head, knowing this wouldn't do at all. He knew they didn't look all that great, but now that they were inside the Plaza, they looked about three times worse. He swatted Marv in the arm to get his attention. "Come on, Marv. Let's go find the bathroom in this joint and wash up a little."

Marv nodded the best way he could seeing as how he was still looking up. "Okay." He took a step forward and finally tore his gaze down from the ceiling; wincing as he heard and felt his neck pop. He cracked his neck to help with the pain.

The two of them made their way through the lobby and quickly found the restrooms. Thankfully no one else was inside; Harry, being paranoid, had felt the need to check the stalls. "Alright, we're inside, but we're not free yet! We still have to get ourselves a room. Now, first things first, Marv, we have to clean up a little. It's bad enough that we're in here in dirty old clothes. The least we can do is attempt to look decent. Last thing we need is for the hotel staff to be suspicious of us."

The two of them started washing their hands in the sink. Marv pulled off his gloves and stuffed them into his pocket. Lathering his hands up with soap, a thought came to Marv. "Harry, are we going to get a room with two beds….or one?"

Harry didn't answer right away and Marv could tell that he had made the man blush once more for the second time in less than ten minutes. "Two." He said gruffly. Once again Marv had that disappointed look on his face. Harry caught this through the mirror and groaned. "Marv, we're not on a honey moon here! We're just stayin' here a few nights until we figure out the next part of the plan. Besides, whether we get two or one, we both know we'll be sharin' a bed! Sheesh!" he shook his head, moving over to grab some paper towels from the dispenser. "And stop giving me that hurt bunny look all the time!"

Marv looked away, using the paper towel dispenser on the other side of the sinks to wipe off his hands. "Just curious…" he mumbled.

Once his hands were dry, Harry fixed his black wool hat, dusting it off and using some water to get a bit of dirt off the top of it. "Start cleanin' up a little. See that dirt on your coat? Wipe it off. We gotta at least TRY to look the part." The two of them tidied themselves up without any more words; silence filled the gap between them.

About fifteen minutes went by before they exited the bathroom, now feeling a bit better about themselves. They were still a far cry from fitting in; yet it was better than nothing. Marv had tried his best to comb through his curls without a brush but both of them had decided it was a lost cause.

"What names are you going to put us under, then?" asked Marv as they made their way to the lobby's front desk.

"You'll find out when I tell it to the desk clerk" snapped Harry.

The two of them walked up to the counter and an older prim looking woman with dark hair done up in a bun gave them a false smile. Harry knew when someone was faking their emotions, having learned it from years of being on the streets and in jail and simply knowing when someone was being phony. This woman fit the bill entirely. "May I help you?" she asked. Harry watched as her eyes took in their whole appearance, her sharp gaze looking them both up and down.

"Yes, we would like to book a hotel room, please. A suite if possible" answered Harry in his best gracious voice. Marv smirked at the voice he was using, forcing himself not to bite his nails or pick at his teeth. Harry had warned him not to do that in public while in the Plaza.

The woman nodded curtly and turned to her computer, her fingers ready to start typing. "And what name will this be under?"

"Murphy. Harold Murphy. And this is my assistant: Marvin Rinehart. We're here on business, you see. We'll be staying here for a few nights. Two….perhaps three" replied Harry, deciding it would be best to sound open. Giving one word answers would make them suspicious.

As the woman typed in his name and other details into the computer, she nodded. "You don't say." Her tone made it imply as though she wished to say more. Harry frowned at this; he hated being treated as though he was lower than dirt. "Well, "she pressed on. "I certainly do hope everything goes well with your business plans."

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Would the two of you be more comfortable in a two bed suite, since you are staying in one room or…?" she trailed off, waiting for an answer.

Marv looked down at his feet at this question, remembering Harry's harsh response when he had asked this question.

"One bed, please" Harry answered in a low tone. Marv snapped his head up to look at him with wide eyes. The woman behind the desk raised an eyebrow at him, cocking her head to one side. Seeing this, Harry explained, "Ma'am, this is a very classy hotel." She smiled at his words. Harry raised his arms up in emphasis as he gestured to the lobby around them. "Who wouldn't want to stay here?"

"I certainly don't know, Mr. Murphy" grinned the dark haired clerk.

"Exactly. Besides, it's Christmastime! Meaning even MORE people are going to be wantin' to stay here! Now, do you honestly think it's fair of us…" he gestured to Marv and himself. "….to use up a two-bedroom suite when some happy, loving couple could be stayin' in it instead?"

The woman blinked, opening and closing her mouth for a moment before replying, "I honestly didn't think of it that way, Mr. Murphy. In that case, it certainly is kind of you to think of others in such a way."

Harry shrugged as though it were nothing. "I only think it's fair. Besides, Marvin and I won't mind sharing a bed. If all else fails, I'll toss him to the floor" he winked at her, giving her a grin that she would never truly understand the meaning of. Marv was beside himself with laughter, embarrassment, shock. He formed his lips into a straight tight line to keep himself from bursting out laughing, ruining the whole guise. Harry stepped on his foot slightly in a warning and Marv just looked away, trying to compose himself.

"Oh, I certainly hope it doesn't come to that. You can always switch rooms if it becomes a problem" she assured them. "Now, how will you be paying for this?" she inquired.

"I assume you take credit cards?" queried Harry, already knowing the answer. He pulled out one of the credit cards they had stolen, glancing at it quickly being flashing it in front of her.

"You assume correctly, Mr. Murphy" smiled the woman. Harry grinned and flashed her a toothy smile.

Harry handed her the credit card, looking up at Marv with a wink before turning back to her. She did not see this exchange as she was busy making the transaction. Marv just held back a silent chuckle of glee, excited that their plan was working. His hand was on his chin while the other was tucked underneath his armpit. It was the only thing he could do to keep from biting his nails. He had gotten over his initial shock over the one bed situation, though he planned to bring it back up once they were in the privacy of their own room.

After several minutes, the woman handed Harry back the credit card. "Everything looks great, Mr. Murphy." She handed him the receipt. "If you would just sign your name here." Harry grabbed the pen she offered him and quickly signed the slip, remembering just in time to write "Harold Murphy" instead of "Harry Lyme". "There you are. I hope you have a lovely stay here. Now I'll just have Cedric take you up to your room." She looked up and raised her hand in the air. "Cedric!" she called.

Harry and Marv turned around just in time to see a tall, pale, dark haired man walk up to them. Harry looked him up and down with a grimace. Perhaps 'man' was too strong of a word for this guy. The squirrely bus boy came over to them with a large smile on his lips, already searching out for their missing luggage.

"Hello!" he greeted. He stopped next to Marv, looking up at him. Cedric was tall, but Marv was still taller and it appeared to them both that this disgruntled him slightly. Cedric looked around them both. "Where is your luggage, sirs?" Harry and Marv looked at each other, both not sure how to answer.

Harry of course, recovered first. "We're picking up our luggage later" he announced. Cedric nodded.

The woman behind the desk called over to Cedric, "They are on the fifth floor, in room 526, Cedric."

Cedric nodded and gestured for Harry and Marv to follow him. Neither of them noticed a small blonde kid walking onto one of the elevators in nothing but a pair of blue swim trunks and a white towel wrapped around his shoulders, soaking wet.

Just as Marv was about to follow Harry and Cedric, he bumped into one of the many small round tables that were on the tile floor for decoration. Harry and Cedric looked back at the sound of the table being hit, watching with alarm as the gold vase with red poinsettias in it wobbled dangerously back and forth. Marv, panicking, tried his best to stable the vase once he had recovered from his initial jolt of surprise from hitting the table. "Woah!" he cried, his long legs bent at odd angles as he nearly lost his own balance in trying to save the vase. Once his hands were around the gold vase and retained its balance, he slowly let go of it; standing up properly and swiping his hand over his forehead with a sigh of relief. "Whew!" He chuckled, not realizing how annoyed and embarrassed he had just made his friend.

"Sorry about him" apologized Harry to Cedric.

Cedric brushed it off though. "No worries. It happens all the time, sir." Cedric then turned on his heel to start showing them to their room. Harry knew that had been a lie, but decided not to comment on it.

It was a short trip to the elevators and soon Harry and Marv found themselves walking out from it and onto the fifth floor. Cedric led them out of the elevator, turning back to look at them before saying, "You know, Herbert Hoover once stayed here in this very hotel."

"Isn't he the guy who has his name on vacuums?" asked Marv.

Harry shook his head while Cedric replied with a frown, "Er….No. I meant the president. Why do people keep getting them confused?" His question was asked more to himself than to Marv and Harry.

Harry looked up at Cedric is a glare, wondering why it was necessary that he be present with them on the way to their room. "Don't you just help people carry their luggage up? I didn't think we would need your assistance." He paused, adding, "Not to be rude, or anything. I just figured you would have more important things to do than walk two boring old men like us up to their rooms."

"'Old'?" mumbled Marv with a frown. He went unacknowledged.

"No offense taken, sir" beamed Cedric with a smile. "You're right, I usually do help guests with their luggage, but it's also my responsibility to make sure the guests are seen to their rooms and are content with where they will be staying." Harry nodded, his words going through one ear and out the other. A moment later, Cedric stopped in front of a door which, in gold brass letters, said, "526". "And here you are, sirs." He opened up the door for them and the two bandits walked inside.

Harry and Marv grinned widely at their room, the décor done in reds and gold. On the other side of the room there was a large windowed view that allowed them to see the expanse of New York city. There was a fireplace to the left of them with a mantel and mirror on top. Delicately woven curtains hung along the window, matching perfectly with the floral wallpaper. Thick, warm rugs covered the auburn carpet. Several armchairs and side tables filled the room. The lights were slightly dimmed, giving the room a sort of glow.

"Would you like a tour of the room or shall I leave you two be?" Cedric inquired.

"We'll be fine" muttered Harry without a care, too busy looking at the room they would be staying at.

Marv glanced at Cedric before the other man closed the door, just standing there in the hallway. He could see Cedric looking at him expectantly, holding his hand out as though he wanted something. "Oh, sorry. I don't have gum." Cedric frowned but could say no more before Marv promptly shut the door on him.

Locking the door with a click, Marv smiled as he turned to see Harry on the other side of the room, staring out the large window. "We did it, Harry! They didn't suspect a thing!"

Harry smiled, his gaze still focused on the city before him. "Yeah…..we sure did, Marv…."

Marv started walking around the room, taking in everything there was to see. He kicked off his shoes and tossed them to the side, not caring where they went. He then took off his dark brown coat and threw it on one of the red armchairs. He walked over to a doorway on the other side of the room. As he poked his head inside to look in, Harry heard him cry out happily, "Fluffy pillows!" Harry couldn't help but chuckle.

Marv, now in the bedroom, never turned his eyes away from the bed as he catapulted himself onto the bed, landing on it with a heavy bounce. He sat up once he landed, pushing himself to the head of the bed where he fell into the four large fluffy pillows that sat there. With a large grin on his face, Marv gave a contented sigh, his eyes closed as he felt his body truly relax for the first time since they'd been in jail. "Harry! You gotta get in here and check out this awesome king sized bed! It's huge!"

Harry looked away from the window and walked into the bedroom, finding Marv spread out on it, looking as though he was about to fall asleep.

Harry nodded, "Yes, Marv. You got your fluffy pillows. Ya happy?"

"I'd be even happier if you came over and joined me" remarked Marv honestly without opening his eyes.

"Heh. I bet you would be…"

"Come on, Harry. It's been a long day…. Kick back and relax…."

Harry stayed rooted where he was. ""I actually wouldn't mind havin' a shower first…"

"I could join you in there, too" smirked Marv.

"Yeah, yeah…" muttered Harry as he shrugged off his coat, hat, and shoes. "Just cool it, though, Marv…"

Marv frowned at these words, opening his eyes and finally sitting up again. He looked over at Harry, who was now just wearing a long sleeved gray shirt and his pants. He knew Harry was not the type to show his emotions or affections out in public, but there were times, even in private, when Harry had a hard time showing them. He knew Harry loved him, but there were times when Marv got a feeling in the pit of stomach that made him wonder just why it was so hard for him. They were alone now; there shouldn't be any problems. And yet here Harry was still being paranoid; still pushing him away.

"Harry….Come on, I'm not asking much. Just lay down with me for a bit. We can just take a nap. I don't know about you, but I'm tired. We don't have to do anything….just rest" Marv's voice was soft and had a slight pleading tone to it.

Harry sighed. "Not before I take a shower. And I suggest you take one too" he paused and before Marv could comment he added, "Not with me!" Marv chuckled, though it died quickly in his throat as he frowned and turned his head back into the pillow as he laid back.

As Harry went into the large, spacious bathroom to take a shower, Marv made himself comfortable on the bed, leaning back into the fluffy pillows. He found the remote to the television on the night stand next to the bed and started flipping through the channels. Being a hotel television, there wasn't a whole lot to choose from, so Marv ended up leaving the channel on a soap opera. He figured he could make fun of it while he was waiting on Harry. He had never understand soap operas, nor ever found the purpose of them. Yet he always found the 'villain' of the cast to have the most immature of reasons to shoot their family members. Marv also always found it odd how everyone was somehow related in the show. How many long lost brothers could one person have, anyways?

The mother on the soap opera had just announced that she was pregnant with her ex-husband's child when Harry walked out of the bathroom, freshly cleaned. He had put on his long sleeved shirt and pant back on, leaving the steam from the bathroom and the moisture around the very little hair Harry had the only way you could tell he even took a shower.

Harry found Marv half asleep on the bed, staring at the television. "All done" he announced. "Ya wanna hop in there?"

Marv looked up, his head having been titled down slightly from nodding off and blinked. "No, I'll wait a bit. " He reached his arms out to Harry. "Come on. You've had your shower, now let's relax together."

"Ya probably still smell like fish from bein' in that truck!" remarked Harry with a frown.

Marv's frown deepened; he was getting tired of this. "Never stopped ya before. Come on! What's your problem, Harry?"

The shorter man looked as though he was ready to fight back with a retort but his words died on his lips. Wordlessly, Harry walked over to the bed and sat down, pushing himself up close next to Marv, who wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Sorry, Marv. I guess I'm just still all strung up from having just broke outta jail. My nerves are shot. It's hard for me to calm down and realize everything is okay. Well—as okay as they can be for two guys on the run." He chuckled a bit at that, but it died quickly. Marv nodded, not saying anything, for he knew Harry had to let it all out. Harry squirmed a little in his spot, pushing himself further back into the pillows. "But I'm tellin' ya, Marv. We can't be stupid now. We may have stolen these credit cards, but sooner or later that chick we stole em' from is gonna figure things out and is gonna shut down the credit card till they find us. All the more reasons why we had to give them fake names downstairs. And tomorrow we're gonna have to start thinkin' out a heist so that we can get some money of our own. I'll start lookin' in the newspapers and—"He didn't get a chance to finish as Marv bent down and gave Harry a kiss on the forehead.

"Relax, Harry. It's okay. We'll figure things out. We're in New York City! A city of possibilities! Things will work out for us!" comforted Marv. Harry looked at him as though he were speaking a different language, which made Marv laugh. "Would you just relax, Harry? For one day? One night? Just chill! Enjoy the fact that we got in this great hotel. Enjoy the fancy bed. The big fluffy pillows…." He paused before saying more quietly, "The person you're with…."

Harry quirked an eyebrow. "I told ya, I ain't doing any of that until you get your ass in the shower!"

Marv groaned at this, pushing himself off the pillows that he loved so much and off the bed, starting to pull off the orange vest he was wearing. "Fine…." he relented with a sigh. Harry grabbed the remote and flipped through the channels as Marv went into the bathroom and took his own shower.

Harry glanced over at the door to the bathroom, his mind wheeling about what Marv had said. Of course it was even for Marv to tell him to relax. Marv was not the one calling the shots; he was not the one making the plans. He was not the one who had planned their escape from jail. He was not the one who figured out what their next move was going to be, or where they would be staying next, or where they would be making their next big heist. It was easy for Marv to say they needed to relax because he was just going along with everything. At the end of the day, it was Harry Lyme who was the brains of the Wet Bandits.

Marv… Marv was just the love of his life who he dragged along and treated like crap.

Harry was brought out of his thoughts as the sound of Marv calling out from the bathroom, "Hey! They've even got little bottles of shampoo and conditioner in here!"

Harry couldn't help but shake his head with a soft snigger. Another ten minutes or so went by before Marv finally walked out from the bathroom. He was wearing nothing over his chest and was just wearing his pants, the two shirts he had been wearing draped over one arm and white towel swung over one shoulder. Steam came from the bathroom was Marv came closer to the bed. He had his infamous goofy grin on his face. He pointed to the bathroom. "Did you know they had shampoo and conditioner in there?"

Harry nodded sardonically, "All hotels do, Marv. At least the decent ones."

"Fascinating!"

"Marv, you've stayed in hotels before. This is nothing new."

Marv shrugged. "Doesn't mean I've showered in a hotel before." Harry narrowed his eyes made a face but decided not to comment. He just watched as Marv ran his hands through his curly hair, which was dripping wet. He took the towel off his shoulders and attempted to pat it dry. "So, Harry, what are we gonna do? Just relax here?"

"I was thinkin' maybe later we could go grab somethin' to eat. I mean, we do have money now" he grinned, referring to the stolen credit cards. Marv nodded. "But right now, I just wanna relax. That shower really took it out of me. I don't think I could get my ass off of this bed if my life depended on it."

Marv laughed and sat down beside him as he tossed his shirts aside, pushing himself against the pillows. "You mean like, take a nap?" Harry shrugged, his eyes on the television. Marv moved so that he was up against Harry and encouraged the shorter man to rest his head on his bare chest. The two of them leaned close, almost in a cuddling way. Harry wrapped an arm around the other's waist while Marv rested his head on the pillows. After laying there for several minutes, both men drifted to sleep, the television playing softly in the background. Both of them had a lot on their mind; both of them worried about the other while they were on the run. Though they knew one thing was for sure, no matter what was going to happen, they were going to have each other.

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Author's Note: Alright, well, there is chapter 2. I already have a list of things planned for chapter 3 and I hope to have that story written and posted within the next few days. We'll see. Nothing is ever for certain with my writing. Those two still have some things planned for their first night. Not to mention the day after. So, for anyone needing to know, (movie wise), it's still the first night. As these two drift to sleep, Kevin is watching the movie in his hotel room. Just to give you a timeline for my fanfiction, so there is still plenty of stuff to work with! Enjoy!


	3. Chapter 3

Finding Sleep

Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Author's Note: And here we continue with chapter 3 which is actually more of a continuation of chapter 2. What else are the two bandits planning on doing on their first night at the Plaza?

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Harry was the first one to wake from the nap the two bandits had ended up taking; though he didn't wake up right away. There was a brief moment before he realized where he was. His mind was still set on the jail cell the two of them had been confined in for the past year, so when he did not feel the immediate coldness of the cell it made his mind wonder exactly where he was.

He was lying against something warm and firm. Harry blinked his eyes open and found himself looking out at a beautiful hotel bedroom. Memories of the events from earlier that day came flying back to him and he finally remembered how he and Marv had managed to get a room at the Plaza. Without moving too much, Harry glanced up at Marv to find that he was passed out. He could see the taller man lying there with his head against the pillow, a little bit of drool falling out from the side of his mouth.

"Wake up, Marv" whispered Harry, giving him a light kiss on the cheek. Marv continued to sleep without knowing any better. Harry rolled his eyes as he took a hand and gently flicked the other man on the nose. Marv furrowed his brow, a frown appearing on his face as this clearly bothered him; yet he remained sleeping. Harry sat up a bit more. "Marv!" he now spoke louder. He grabbed Marv's hand and squeezed it. "Marv, wake up!"

Marv groaned, starting to shift in place as he started to stretch and wake up. "Mmmm….what?"

"Come on, get up."

"Why?"

"We gotta go get food."

"Uh….later…" with that Marv completely turned around so that he was facing away from Harry, unwinding his arm from around Harry's shoulder and around the big fluffy red pillow his head was currently laying on.

With a sigh of exasperation, Harry shook his head as he stood up. "Ya bitch and moan that I never give ya attention….Never give ya kisses….I finally do and you're too busy sleepin'! Just my luck!" grumbled the short-tempered man as he rolled off the bed.

He paused though when he heard his partner mumble sleepily, "Sorry, Harry…..I'm jus' really tired…" his words were kind of slurred from his drowsy state. Harry hadn't thought Marv had heard him complaining; having assumed he was too deep asleep. His anger seemed to melt away at Marv's words.

"It's okay, Marv. I'll let ya sleep for another half hour. Maybe I can find the laundry room and clean our clothes, eh?" He said these words more gently. He didn't receive an answer, nor did he expect one. He looked around the floor as he sat at the edge of the bed. He saw Marv's shirts strewn about and he stood and started gathering them up. They had both taken showers, sure, but their clothes still reeked of fish and sweat. That wouldn't do. A part of him considered just throwing these clothes out after buying complete new ones, but he didn't want to use the credit card any more than he needed to. The girl he'd stolen it from might have discovered it was missing, but hopefully didn't suspect someone had stolen it. If they were lucky, she just got a new card. Hopefully she wouldn't discover that they were charging on her credit card until a few more days. At least until they could get some proper money from a heist.

He gathered up Marv's clothes along with his own. He couldn't wash his own pants, since he needed to wear them to the laundry room, but he could wash Marv's. He glanced at Marv on the bed. "Marv!" he called over. Marv reacted quicker this time.

"Yeah, Harry. Is my half hour up?"

"No, Marv. Take off your pants."

"Been a long time since you've told me to do that, Harry" smirked Marv playfully. His eyes were still firmly shut as he rested on the bed, but his lips had formed into a large grin.

Catching the innuendo, Harry snapped, "Not for that, ya pervert! I wanna wash 'em before we go out tonight!"

"Oh…." Was all Marv said in replied, a hint of disappointment in his voice, yet it went unnoticed by Harry. Marv sluggishly unzipped his pants and started yanking them awkwardly off his waist and legs, determined not to be removed from his pillow. Once they were off he threw them to where he guessed Harry was by the sound of the other's voice. Marv had almost been right; it missed Harry by about a foot.

Harry collected Marv's pants and placed everything in a pile on a chair. He went into the bathroom, hoping to find a basket of some sort. Surely a fancy hotel such as this would offer laundry baskets. He didn't quite know.

He was in luck as he spotted a white plastic basket. However, there was a paper clipped onto it from the hotel staff, saying how if there was any laundry to be done, the hotel maids would see to it. Harry ignored this with a huff. "No hotel stranger is touching MY stuff…" he mumbled with resolve. He brought the basket out and put their clothes inside. He had thrown in as many of his own clothes as he could, minus his pants and white short sleeved shirt. Perhaps he could spray some cologne or wash them by hand. He dismissed the thought as he grabbed his key to the room and headed out the door in search for the laundry room. He glanced back at Marv one last time from the front room.

"I'm leavin' to do the laundry, Marv!" he called. When he received no answer he shook his head. "I don't know why I put up with that guy…." He had said these words out of frustration, but he already knew the answer. He put up with Marv the way he did because he couldn't imagine his life without him. Marv, the lanky, clumsy, curly haired bandit who could barely read or write happened to be the most important thing to Harry Lyme, though whether he admitted this to anyone other than himself was an entirely different matter. For now though, he would continue to act indifferent on the matter.

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An hour later, Harry found himself still waiting for their clothes to be finished. He had just placed them in the dryer ten minutes prior. He had not anticipated waiting this long for their clothes; he had never been one to do laundry and therefore didn't know. He glanced over at one of the clocks on the wall in the hallway. It read that it was 7:09. It wasn't terribly late, though his stomach said otherwise. The last thing either of them had eaten that day had been the chicken sandwiches and drinks; food which had long been gone from their stomachs.

He had spoken to no one while in the laundry room; however he had seen several other guests. He didn't wish to speak with them anyways; he had nothing to say to high class society members who made people like him steal in the first place. Instead he had waited patiently for their clothes. He wondered if Marv was still asleep. He had told him he only had a half hour to sleep, yet here it was, an hour later, and Harry had yet to wake him.

Just as the dryer beeped happily to announce that their clothes were done drying, Harry watched as Cedric walked into the laundry room. "Hello, sir!" he greeted happily. He saw Harry pulling out his clothes. "Oh, you should have told us you wanted clothes cleaned. We would have happily done it for you!"

Harry just frowned at him as he pulled out their clothes. "I'm sure you would have, but we prefer to do our own clothes, thank you" he said tersely. His tone implied that it was the end of the conversation and Cedric could tell, for he flashed him a nervous smile and said no more.

As Harry placed the last of their clothes into the basket he caught Cedric putting up a pair of small red boxers up on a hanger after having written a small tag on it. He guessed they were to be steamed and pressed; though he couldn't think of anyone who would want their boxers steamed and pressed like that by a stranger. A plain old wash would have sufficed.

"Have a good night, sir" he heard Cedric say. Harry ignored him and walked out of the laundry room without another word.

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Harry walked into the bedroom of their hotel room and found Marv still asleep. While he was gone Marv had pulled out the covers and crawled underneath them and buried his head underneath the pillows.

Harry shook his head with a tsk. "Wake up, Marv!" He felt a wave of déjà vu wash over him. "Marvin!"

The lump that was under the bed covers moved. "I'm up, Harry…" Marv pushed himself up, the pillows falling around him. His curly hair seemed even more unruly than ever as he emerged from his cocoon of warmth. He sat up on the bed, the covers going everywhere. He stretched and yawned; rubbing his eyes when he could. Marv made his way to the edge of the bed and sat there as he tried to wake himself up. "It's cold in here…." He shivered.

"That's cause you're wearin' nothin' but your boxers. I took your pants to wash 'em, remember?"

"Oh, yeah…." Slurred the taller man. Harry set the basket on a chair and walked over to Marv, shocking the other man when he leaned down kissed him on the lips. Marv was certainly awake now for his eyes were fully open and he seemed much more aware of his surroundings. Marv started to kiss back but Harry pulled away. Marv tried to hide his disappointment.

"Now, go ahead and pull your stuff outta the basket. Let's get dressed and how about you and I go eat a one of New York's finest restaurants?" Harry grinned, his mood seeming to get happier. He flashed a toothy grin at Marv, who couldn't help but return it. He didn't know why Harry was suddenly in such a good mood, nor did he understand the sudden abrupt kiss; yet he certainly was not complaining. He wished Harry would do that more often.

"Where are we going?" asked Marv as he stood and walked over to the basket. He dug out his pants and slipped them on.

Harry shrugged as he pulled his own clothes out. "I don't know. Someplace nice where we can sit down. I'm tired of fast food and eating on the run."

Marv nodded. "I agree." He had just finished putting his shirt on when he walked back into the bathroom. "It's a shame we don't have any cologne or anything. I also wouldn't mind some hair gel….or at least some hair spray. A comb wouldn't be bad either."

Harry was putting on his jacket as he looked into the bathroom. He found Marv staring at the mirror as he fussed over his hair. Marv had always taken pride in his hair and could always be found fretting over it. At their old place in Chicago, where they had stayed before they had gotten thrown in jail, Marv had had a collection of hair gel bottles and mousse for his hair. Personally Harry thought it to be too long and it often reminded him of an afro, but Marv refused to cut it. Harry didn't mind it too much though; he did enjoy running his hands through it.

"Would ya stop fussin' over your hair? I'm starvin'! Let's go!" he ordered, grabbing his hat and placing it firmly over his balding head.

"I'm comin', I'm comin'" groused Marv as he took one final look in the mirror to check his hair.

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The two of them stepped out of the elevator, fully dressed in the clothes they had earlier that day. Neither had said anything, but both of them felt like new men in their clean clothes. As they started walking into the main area of the lobby, Harry noted that the concierge did not look happy in the least as he spoke to Cedric and the prim-looking woman from earlier that day. Marv seemed oblivious as he walked beside Harry, his bright eyes glancing all around to take in the elegant sights of the hotel lobby.

"They look upset" stated Harry quietly. "Like something is wrong."

"Who does?" queried Marv as his eyes traveled once again to the intricate reflective ceiling. Just as he had done earlier that day, he smiled and waved up at his reflection.

Harry pointed to the three staff members. "Those three."

Marv tore his eyes away from the ceiling to see who Harry was talking about. "I'm sure it has nothing to do with us. Don't worry so much."

"You don't know that."

"I sure don't, but I DO know, you need to take it easy, Harry! It could be anything that those three are fussin' over!" The taller bandit was truly getting tired of Harry's paranoia. He grabbed Harry's arm and guided him away from the three antsy staff members and to the front doors. "Let's just go enjoy ourselves!"

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A half hour later, the two bandits found themselves comfortably seated in a Steakhouse Restaurant; the young male greeter at the door having just led them to their seats. The restaurant itself was dimly lit, having a country theme as its choice of décor. However it was not a flashy place, instead very simple and casual. The two of them had thought it would be best if they stayed away from the richer, classy bistros, mainly because Marv had tripped over a woman in high heels and a pencil skirt and spilled wine everywhere three steps after walking into the first restaurant they had encountered. The owner had kicked them out immediately not only for this fact but for their dress attire. Apparently that restaurant was black tie only.

"I can't even remember the last time I had a steak!" beamed Marv as he glanced over the menu.

Harry grabbed his own menu and nodded. "Neither can I. I actually can't remember the last REAL meal I've had!" Marv's long legs fit uncomfortably under the table and he shifted them in hopes to get more relaxed. In the process he hit Harry's leg. "You wanna take it easy there, Marv?"

"Sorry…." Mumbled Marv. "You know how it is with me and these seats sometimes…" Harry didn't reply, just read his menu. It was times like this when only Harry understood Marv. Marv was like a child, at times; an overgrown, innocent child. There was really nothing you couldn't love about the guy; he had a heart of gold, which he wore on his sleeve. He was loyal; perhaps a little too loyal in the case of Harry. It made the shorter man's heart ache a little as he thought of the ways he had treated Marv; and the ways he STILL treated Marv. Not to mention all the trouble he had dragged Marv into. He loved the man to pieces, but there were just times when he grated on his nerves like nails on a chalkboard.

Harry was brought out of his thoughts; having not been really reading the menu, when a female voice pierced through the air over their table. "Hello, my name is Kelly. I'll be your server this evening. Is there anything you gentlemen would like to start off with?"

Marv looked up at her with a smile; at least until she saw the way she was looking down at Harry. The woman was probably in her thirties with big blonde curly short hair and heavy eye make-up. The woman wore a shirt with the restaurant's logo on it, yet it came down just enough to show just a bit of cleavage. Marv frowned at her. "I'll start off with a light beer."

The woman almost flinched as he said this, her attention having been on Harry. "Oh, alright." She jotted down his order on her little pad of paper. "And for you, sir?" Marv could tell she was ignoring him. This was not the first time Harry had gotten all the female attention. He figured he should be used to it by now, but it still made Marv's blood boil to think some random lady was flirting with his Harry.

Harry finally looked up at her. He took a moment to take in her appearance before saying, "I'll have the same." He gave her a toothy smile, his gold tooth shining in the light. She gave a small giggle and walked off. Marv's frown deepened further. Harry looked over to his friend and blinked, "What?"

"Nothing, Harry…" sighed Marv, bringing up his menu to read it, hiding his face in the meantime. He didn't want Harry to get mad at him for getting jealous. He knew he shouldn't get so worked up but he also knew Harry was not nearly as in love with him as he was towards him. Or at least, he didn't think he was. Harry certainly hadn't given him a reason to believe otherwise.

Marv found what he wanted to order and placed down his menu, turning his attention to the candle that was sitting in the middle of the table. He took his two index fingers and started playing with the wax. Marv always feared the day when Harry would get tired of him tagging along everywhere he went. The two of them were best friends, sure, but even best friends could grow tired of each other. He couldn't imagine his life without Harry. He had no family, no friends; no one else to turn to if Harry was to ever leave him. He loved the man deeply with all of his heart and he wished so badly for Harry to return those feelings.

Back in Chicago, the two of them had grown close and fooled around all the time. They have said they loved one another many times and made love. For about six months before they were thrown in jail they had slept together in the same bed; nearly inseparable. Harry had always made it clear though that their relationship was to remain secret and between them. Marv had no problem with that; he still didn't. Yet ever since their time in jail, Harry had grown distant with him and he feared that the jail time had ruined what they had together. And it seemed that Harry was now three times more paranoid about showing affection than he was before.

Marv flinched as he burnt his finger slightly, his elbow nearly knocking the glass of water beside him. Harry put down his menu at the commotion. "I didn't think I'd have to tell you to not play with fire, Marv" teased Harry. Marv gave him a sideways grin.

"Heh, yeah…"

"Figured out what you want?"

"Yeah, I'm gettin' the steak burger." Marv placed his hands down in his lap.

"Nice. I thought about that. But I wanna try those ribs they have on special" Harry responded, putting his menu down.

Marv scratched the back of his neck as silence overtook the table. He debated whether or not to play with the candle or not. He figured he shouldn't. Harry had teased him once but he would probably scold him the second time.

"The waitress should be back soon. We'll order, eat, and then maybe hit a bar after this" stated Harry.

This caught Marv off guard as he looked up at his friend. "Really? A bar? After what happened the last time you were in one?"

Harry gave him a sarcastic smile. "Ha ha. Very funny. I won't be drinking that heavily. Maybe a beer or two." He paused. "After this one…"

Marv laughed at the memory. "Yeah, nothing says "I'm gay" better than a drunken man going around kissing every guy in sight" he paused as he pulled off his fingerless gloves. "You certainly gave yourself one hell of a reputation that night."

Harry frowned deeply as he placed his elbows out on the table. "Could ya keep it down?" he glanced nervously at the other guests.

"Aww, come one, Harry. No one is paying attention to us. 'Sides, I was only teasin'. I don't know why you get so upset anyways. Who cares what people think of ya—"

"I do!" snapped Harry, his previous good mood now gone. This made Marv flinch back a bit.

"Alright, here are your beers! Now, do you gents know what you would like to order?" came the soprano voice of the blonde waitress. She placed the beers out in front of them. She turned to Harry; once again ignoring Marv altogether. It had unnerved the curly haired man before but now it just flat out infuriated him.

Harry gave her another toothy smile. "Yes, my dear, I would like the ribs." He handed her the menu.

"Nice choice" she told him. She reluctantly tore her eyes away from Harry and over to Marv. "And for you?"

"I'll have the steak burger…..with fries…." He told her in a monotone voice. He didn't even look her in the eye.

She frowned at his attitude towards her and turned back to Harry. "Alright then, I will have your order put in and I'll be back to check on you."

"I'm sure you will…." Muttered Marv darkly, pulling out his straw and plopping into his glass of water. He ignored his beer.

The rest of the dinner went more or less the same. The blonde waitress continued to flirt with Harry as Marv silently fumed in his seat. The taller Wet Bandit had almost found the nerve to trip her as she went by just to make her look like a fool, but Marv couldn't find the courage to do it. Marv was not a mean person; though there were times when he wished he was.

It was not until they were walking back to the hotel did the two of them continue the conversation they had started at the restaurant. It was nighttime now, the sun having gone down hours ago. Neither of them were in good moods and had both forgotten the idea of heading to a bar.

"We need to stay focused anyway" Harry had said over the matter. "We can't get stupid and drunk."

Marv didn't really care. He had ignored the beer that he had ordered and drank the glass of water they'd been given with their beers. As they walked down the sidewalk, Christmas lights flashing everywhere they turned, Marv finally spoke up.

"Harry…. It's okay, you know. I understand….. You don't like people knowing—"

"I'm not gay!" retorted Harry, having already known what he was going to say.

Silence filled the gap between them. Marv pursed his lips a bit as he tried to figure out what to say next. He was never too good at dealing with Harry's temper and knew he was pretty much walking on eggshells when he was in this mood. It didn't help that the blonde waitress has gotten on his nerves and placed him in a bad mood himself. He decided to try making a joke out of it. "Well, the pains you've given me in my back and the hickeys you've left on my neck have said differently…"

Harry took in a deep breath, knowing it would do no good to snap harshly at Marv. The man was only stating the truth. Yet the truth was something Harry found himself having a hard time dealing with. "I like women" he stated bluntly.

Marv shrugged. "So do I. If that waitress hadn't been dead set on flirting with you, I woulda been flirtin' back with her. But she was interested only in you. Therefore, I'm played the jealous lover….." He paused as he figured out what the problem might be. "Harry, the only guy I've ever been with is you. And the only guy you've been with is me…. It's not so much that we're gay….We're just…..really attracted to each other." He shrugged timidly. "We….love….each other. Don't we?"

This last question held an imploring note to it which made Harry realize he could easily hurt Marv if he didn't answer correctly. He stopped glancing around the city around them and looked Marv straight in the eye. "Yeah….Marv….We love each other…" He whispered; the irritation out of his voice.

Marv smiled. "So, it's okay, Harry. I know you don't like people knowing."

Harry looked away. He didn't deserve someone as understanding as Marv. He didn't deserve someone who was so willing to forgive him even after he treated him so terribly. "I'm always saying to myself, 'why do I put up with Marv?'" Harry said suddenly. This made Marv blink. "When the real question should be, 'Why does MARV put up with ME?'" He gazed at Marv with a look of sorrow and blame.

"'Put up with you?'" echoed Marv. "I don't put up with you, Harry! You're my best friend! Sure, you're cranky sometimes and ya have a temper, but hey, everyone's got their flaws. I know I do. You point them out to me every day!" Marv laughed, clearly not offended by this.

Harry bit his upper lip as he raised his eyebrows. "Most people don't like having their flaws pointed out by their loved ones."

"Harry, I would sit next to you and get insulted and nagged at every day, so long as it means I get to be with you" justified Marv. Harry stopped dead in his tracks, making Marv stop and look back at him. No one had ever said such sweet words to him before. Harry Lyme had had his share of women over the years, yet clearly none of them had stuck around. He knew the reasons for this of course. He was bad tempered, rude, sarcastic. Sure, he was sweet to women and knew how to treat them properly, but at the end of the day, Harry's flaws came hurling their ugly heads at him and chased the women away. Marv, however, stayed by him no matter what.

Marv moved so that he was standing in front of Harry, looking down at him with interest. Harry gestured for him to lean down a bit like he was going to whisper something into his ear. As Marv leaned down though Harry gave him a kiss on the lips. It lasted only a second, but it sent shivers of pleasure down Marv's spine as his lips tingled blissfully. This had been more than just a kiss for Marv could feel that there had been more meaning behind it. Marv raised a hand to his mouth, replaying the kiss in his head. "Harry…?"

"I love ya, Marv" he breathed softly. "What you just said was the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me….You take my flaws and push them aside…..No one has ever done that before. I can't….tell you how many of my relationships have ended because of my offensive nature and bad temper. But you….you completely ignore them….take them in stride….Which is probably why you've snuck your way into my heart and became the love of my life."

Marv could feel himself blushing in the cold night, their breath coming out in little puffs of white. "I love you too, Harry."

Harry grabbed Marv's hand and held onto it tightly. "I promise to be more open and affectionate with you, Marv. Because, it's not fair for you to be treated the way I've been treating you…. Now come on, we've got a nice kind-sized bed waitin' for us in a nice classy hotel…" He gave Marv another kiss on the lips before grabbing Marv by the collar and pulling him along. Marv was beyond talking; too blissfully happy as his eyes shone brightly with a goofy smile on his lips.

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Twenty minutes later the two of them found each other sitting on their bed, both knowing what was about to take place. "Harry?"

Harry glanced over at Marv as he sat on the bed. "What?"

Harry didn't receive a verbal answer; instead he felt Marv's soft, slightly chapped lips kiss him on the lips. Harry's first instinct was to push him away as he felt Marv trail kisses along his jawline and behind his ear. However, he knew better than to do that. It would hurt Marv. Especially after he had just promised him he would try to be more open and affectionate with him minutes ago on the street.

There had once been a time when Harry and Marv fooled around all the time, but that had been before their time in jail. Harry wasn't entirely sure when it had happened but he just stopped feeling comfortable doing such things with Marv. Perhaps it had been all the jokes and ridicule the two of them had endured in jail. Their cell mates had been less than friendly. Perhaps it had also been the stress levels the two of them had been coping with lately. Stress had a way of messing with people. Whatever the reason was, Harry intended to stop it and get over it. He didn't want to hurt Marv anymore.

Marv was getting tired of waiting for Harry to react positively to his advances. He was losing hope that Harry truly did love him instead of seeing him as someone just to fool with when urges came along. He was very aware that Marv needed him; he was Marv's rock. Marv would be lost without him.

"Marv?"

"Yeah?" whispered Marv between kisses.

"I really am going to try harder at this. I'm going to try harder at our relationship and get over my paranoia. You really do mean a lot to me, Marv. Even if I don't always show it. I don't….I don't want to hurt you….." Harry explained the best way he could. He laid back on the bed, allowing Marv to slide up on top of him.

Marv stopped kissing him and looked down at him with a smile, his arms stretched out on either side of Harry and kept himself propped up. "That means so much to me, Harry. I appreciate the effort." He shifted his legs so that one of them was on each side of Harry. In the process, he knocked over the lamp on the bedside table. They both jumped at the noise. Marv looked back to see what had happened. "Whoops…" he guffawed, turning back to look down at Harry. "So much for me being suave and romantic…."

Harry rolled his eyes with a sigh. "Just shut up and kiss me!"

Marv didn't need to be told twice as he leaned down and kissed Harry on the lips once more. For the first time in what seemed like forever to Marv, Harry finally allowed him to have his way. He finally allowed Marv to kiss him fully and firmly on the lips; to touch him and press his own body up against him. The two of them spent the rest of the night together in the bed making love to one another. Both of them had made sure the "Do not Disturb" sign was placed outside the door of their hotel room. The two bandits planned to every last moment of this night together.

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Author's Note: Well, there is chapter three. It took me a while to plan this one out, because I wanted it plotted out just right. I am very pleased with the result. This chapter was a little less comical and a little more emotional/serious. But I assure you, there are plenty more comedic moments coming in later chapters. Please review and let me know what you all think! -EricaX


	4. Chapter 4

**Finding Sleep **

**Chapter 4 **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

**Author's Note: New day and the bandits are preparing for a big heist. What could those two possibly get into? **

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Soft sheets were the first thing Harry registered as he slowly woke up from his dream and into reality. He was curled into soft warm sheets and he could hear Marv's light snoring. He blearily opened his eyes to see that he was staring over Marv's shoulder and seeing the bed sheets behind him. The two of them were lying up against one another; both facing the other. Marv's arm was wrapped around his waist loosely and almost protectively underneath the sheets. Memories of the previous night and day slowly came back to him and he couldn't help but smile a little.

It really had been an enjoyable night. The two of them had not had such a night as that for a long time. Harry took in a deep breath, shifting his legs a bit. He looked up at Marv who was hogging most of the pillow they were currently sharing.

"Marv…." He said softly. Marv's nose winkled at the sound of his name, but otherwise stayed asleep. "Marvin….Wake up…."

Marv moved slowly, his limbs feeling like lead after being out of use for so many hours. "Harry…?" he mumbled, his eyelids slowly moving to reveal sleepy chocolate brown eyes.

"No, it's Santa Clause" joked Harry with a smile.

Marv turned his face into the pillow. "Liar."

"Don't you go callin' me a liar. I already know I am one. You don't have to remind me" Harry retorted, his voice light and slightly jovial.

"You're a liar, Harry. One of the biggest liars I've ever met!" baited Marv, continuing on with the joke. His face was still hidden in the pillow as he un-wrapped his arm from Harry's waist, bringing his arm out from under the covers and moving his hand so that it found Harry's face. Harry just allowed this to happen, wondering what he was doing. When Marv's hand found his nose, he gently flicked it.

With mock anger, Harry grinned down at Marv; now sitting up on his elbows. "You're asking for it now, pal." He sat up more on the bed, the covers moving down to his waist. With trained hands, Harry knew exactly what to do. This was far from the first time Harry had prepared to torture Marv in such a way. It had been a long time since Harry had done this to the man who was the love of his life and it felt good to feel so light hearted about it.

Marv gave a howl of laughter and surprise when Harry's fingers made contact with his sides. That was one hell of a wakeup call. Before, he had been half asleep, but now, as he struggled underneath Harry's stealthy hands he was fully awake. This was one of the last things he had expected Harry to do to him. Sure, it was not the first time he had done it; but it had been over a year ago since Harry had last tickled him. It had been before their time in jail.

Marv continued to laugh as he pushed himself up and tried to get away from Harry as quickly as possible. His long legs kicked at the covers as he tried getting away. "Call ME a liar!" laughed Harry. "Say 'uncle'!"

"UNCLE!" screeched Marv between breaths of laughter. Harry had learned very early on in their relationship just how very ticklish Marv was and had often used it as a friendly way of taunting the taller man. The night Harry had discovered this interesting piece of trivia about his partner in crime he had teased him endlessly about it. Marv had sort of hoped Harry had forgotten this little detail.

Harry took his hands away and allowed Marv to catch his breath. He watched as Marv rolled over onto his back and placed a hand on his forehead. "Whew! I was not expecting that, Harry! Not fair! You haven't done that to me in ages!"

Harry nodded from where he was sitting, watching with amusement as Marv recovered. "What can I say? That's what you get for callin' me a liar. You shoulda known better. You also should know I never play fair."

Marv laughed at this, knowing just how true it was. He sat up, rubbing his eyes. "I didn't think adults tickled each other."

Harry shrugged. "I've done that to you before. Besides, Marv, you're one to talk. Adults don't play with a rubber ducky in the bathtub either; yet you still do."

"Do not!" retorted Marv heatedly. He changed the subject. "What time is it?"

Harry ran a hand over what little hair he had on his balding head and glanced at the bedside table. "Time for us to get up" he said once he saw the time.

"And time for us to get some breakfast, I hope?" inquired Marv as he sat up.

"That's what room service is for, Marv" reminded Harry as he grabbed the phone next to the lamp that was still knocked over from when Marv hit it with his foot the night before. He leaned over and pressed the numbers for room service and waited for an answer. As he waited he watched Marv stretch his arms out over his head and yawn largely.

He heard a voice on the other end greet him. "Hi. This is room 526. We would like some breakfast sent up." He paused, listening to what the person on the other end had to say. "Well….bring us up a little bit of everything, please. Enough for two people. Thank you." He promptly set the phone back on the table and looked just in time to see Marv standing up.

He was used to seeing Marv naked and therefore thought nothing of it as Marv walked into the bathroom. "How did you sleep, Marv?" he called to him.

"I slept great, Harry! Last night was incredible!" replied Marv happily and even though Harry couldn't see his face, he knew Marv was smilingly goofily. He could just picture the big grin on his lover's face as his eyes shone bright. The shorter man's thoughts were interrupted when he heard Marv cry out, "Hey! Bath robes!"

Harry shook his head. "You didn't see those yesterday?"

"No!" he heard Marv say indignantly.

"You gotta learn to be more observant then, Marv!"

"Yeah…yeah…." He could hear Marv faintly grumble from the bathroom.

Minutes later Harry could hear the shower turning on and he saw the bathroom door shut. Marv had the right idea; Harry did feel like having another shower. He glanced around the hotel bedroom they were staying in and noted that once again their clothes were strewn about the floor meaning he would once again have to gather them all up. At least he didn't have to wash them again.

A half hour later they both found themselves showered and refreshed. They were resting on the bed next to each other, flipping through the channels on the television when there was a knock on the door. Marv was propped up against the pillows while Harry lay beside him. "That must be room service" stated Harry as he got up from where he had been laying his head on Marv's chest. Marv followed after him.

Harry was about to open the door when he heard a yelp of pain from Marv and a thud a second later. He turned around to see Marv had hit his leg on the small oval table that sat near the middle of the room. "Damn thing!" he heard Marv curse. Marv set the table back up and rubbed at his leg with a frown on his face.

Harry turned back to the door and opened it. They had expected to see Cedric, since he seemed to be the one who was taking care of their floor; instead they both saw an older man with graying black hair. He was a little taller than Harry and was slightly overweight. "Hello, sirs. I have your breakfast."

He spoke the truth as both bandits could see a silver tray in his hands loaded with food. Harry moved his arms as though he was going to take the tray from him but the man took a step forward. Harry saw that he was going to bring it in himself. The man set the food on one of the tables. "One moment, sirs." He left the room and went out into the hallway, the door being left open. Harry and Marv hovered over the tray of food. Marv was gazing down at it hungrily yet Harry decided not to comment while the man was still around. A moment later the man came back with another identical tray. "Here you are, then, sirs. Do enjoy." He gave a curt bow and left the room, shutting the door behind him.

Marv licked his lips. "Wow! Nice service!"

"It's the Plaza, Marv. What else do you expect?"

Marv shrugged; not intending to answer, instead just stare down at the magnificent mounds of food on both trays. The trays were covered in all kinds of breakfast foods; pancakes, sausages, eggs, bacon, cereal, and hash browns. Also on the trays were an assortment of fruit, milk, and orange juice and a silver container which they could only assume contained the syrup for the pancakes.

"Wow….Where does one start, eh?" commented Harry with an impressed look.

Marv started picking at some of the pieces of bacon. He grabbed a piece and popped into his mouth. Harry waited for his opinion. Marv swallowed it with a loud gulp and nodded. "Tasty!" Without another word, the two bandits brought the two trays over to a small table along the wall, sat down and started eating. Plates had been offered and they each took one and piled on the food from their own tray.

"So, Marv, what should we do today?" asked Harry as he tried to make conversation as they ate. He poured himself some syrup on the two pancakes he was preparing to eat.

"Besides stay here and enjoy this great food?" chuckled Marv as he ate some of the sausage.

"Yeah."

Marv thought over the question for a moment while he chewed on some sausage. After swallowing it he said with excitement in his eyes, "We could go to the Central Park Zoo! I've always wanted to go there!"

Harry sighed and raised an eyebrow at him. "How old are you, Marv? Seriously. We're in New York City. That's the first place you think of?"

Marv blinked at him, not understanding what was so wrong with his idea. "What? You know how much I love giraffes." Harry closed his eyes and shook his head as Marv added more quietly, "They're tall….like I am…."

"Anywhere else you have in mind, Marvin?" Harry said this loudly to break Marv out of his thoughts about the zoo.

Marv shrugged as he moved on to eating some eggs. "I don't know. There are lots of things we could do. Oooh, let's go to the Empire State Building!" Marv paused. "That's in this city, right?" Harry could see even more excitement in Marv's eyes and he hated to be a downer on Marv's good mood. He was always bringing Marv down and shooting down his ideas; though most of the time, that was probably for the best. Harry knew exactly what Marv wanted to do if they went to the Empire State Building and refused to go clear up to the top. He hated heights.

A pang of guilt washed over him as he said, "No, Marv. We're not doing that either." He felt his heart break a little as he watched Marv's smile deflate into a confused frown. Marv had been sure Harry would like that idea. Both of them silently continued eating. Neither of them said a word for several minutes until Harry heard Marv put his fork down and looked up just in time to see him leaning over the small table. Marv kissed him on the forehead and as he was sitting down, his hand knocked over the orange juice. It spilt everywhere.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" squeaked Marv as he set the glass right.

"Nice goin', Marv!" hissed Harry, his irritation level soaring high once again. "You couldn't have just stayed on your side of the damn table!"

"I wanted to give you a kiss—"

"Give me a kiss later, ya moron! When you don't have orange juice you can spill everywhere! You know how clumsy you are!" hissed Harry though he immediately regretted his words as he watched Marv flinch slightly. More silence fell between them.

Marv stared down at the food in front of him, no longer in the mood to eat. The food just sat there in front of him, taunting him as it sat there deliciously, but he no longer had an appetite. He had done it once again; he had pissed off Harry. It seemed that was the only thing he was good at doing, save for robbing houses, but even then he was a little too loud and made a mess of things. Harry's words from the night before came back to him and at the time he had believed Harry when he said he would be more careful and would try to be more affectionate and suddenly those words had a lot less meaning to them.

Harry on the other hand felt terrible as he looked down at his lap. He didn't bother cleaning up the orange juice. It had spilt on the tray and wasn't going anywhere. He hadn't meant to say those things to Marv. It could have happened to anyone. Marv had only wished to give him a kiss on the forehead; such an innocent act of love. And he had shot him down once again. He knew he had to do something to make up for it. "Hey, Marv…"

"What?" replied Marv in a low dejected voice.

"I'm sorry for snappin' at ya. And….And I promise I'll take ya to the zoo today."

Marv gave him a look of surprise. "Really?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah."

"Thanks, Harry!" This time, instead of leaning over the table, he stood up and took the few steps over to him. Harry looked at him with enquiring look and after a moment of Marv standing there looking down at him, Harry finally caught on to what he wanted. He pushed himself and the chair away from the table and turned to face Marv, who promptly sat down in Harry's lap and wrapped an arm around him. The taller man leaned down and kissed Harry on the lips. It was a long, passionate kiss; one that Harry had not been expecting, but was far from complaining. When they finally broke apart, Harry grinned. "Perhaps I need to make promises to the zoo more often!" Marv laughed at this. "Now get off my lap! You weigh a ton!"

"I do not!" retorted Marv.

"Yeah, you do, Marv" groaned Harry as he placed his hands on Marv's back and started pushing him off.

"Not! Not! Not!" cried Marv as he finally stood after one final shove from Harry. "You didn't complain last night when I was on top of ya!" He turned to smirk down at Harry.

"Well, of course not. Your hands were distracting me" ribbed the shorter bandit.

Marv smiled down at Harry, a mischievous smile covering his features as he raised his hands to show to Harry. "You mean these hands?" Harry raised his eyebrows at his question and gave him a knowing look.

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Forty-five minutes later the two men walked out the door to their hotel room and to the elevators. It had taken Harry a good portion of that time to calm a rather excited Marv down. This was certainly a new experience for the both of them. Normally he was not this affectionate with Marv, nor did he ever used to allow such things to take place so suddenly. But he knew Marv was loving every moment of it and if he was honest with himself, so was he. It felt good to be so open and carefree for a change.

Harry adjusted the wool hat on his head and tightened the scarf around his neck. It was bitter cold outside and he knew they would probably be spending most of the day out in it. He made sure to remind Marv to put his gloves on, though this was immediately followed by Marv insisting he buy him more white masking tape just like he said he would the day prior. It seemed Marv had not yet forgotten his sticky hand stealing scheme.

After walking out of the elevators Harry and Marv once again saw the concierge, Cedric, and the prim-looking woman speaking amongst themselves. The three of them glanced their way and immediately broke apart.

"Ah, good say, sirs!" greeted the concierge as he placed his hands behind his back respectively. Marv gave a happy wave while Harry just frowned at him. He did not the fact that they had stopped talking the moment they had been seen. Harry's recent paranoia came back with a vengeance.

Harry had half a mind to just flat out ask what was wrong but he held his tongue. When trouble came knocking it would be all too soon and he didn't wish to be the cause of it.

As they walked past Harry tried listening to what the three were saying; noting that they had come back together in a group to speak once more. "I believe it is credit card fraud…" the concierge was saying.

Harry felt his body tense up. He grabbed Marv by the arm and made him stop walking. Marv looked at his friend with a concerned frown. "What's the matter?"

Out of the corner of his mouth, Harry quietly said, "They're talking about credit card fraud!"

Marv tensed as well and glanced back at the three staff members. He gulped and looked back down at Harry. "We don't know it's us they're talking about" he reasoned.

Harry's frown deepened. "How many other people in this joint do you think are committing credit card fraud?"

Marv shrugged. "I dunno."

"Let's just get outta here" Harry contended and walked out the door. Marv was quick to follow him through the gold spinning doors. Outside the doors a long white limousine was parked and the driver was standing there waiting with a box of pizza. "Wow! A limo!" marveled the taller bandit.

Cedric walked out from behind them and took the pizza from the driver. Harry took one look at Cedric and started walking faster down the sidewalk. "Come on, let's go!" he hissed.

The two of them started walking along the streets of New York and soon became lost in the throng of pedestrians. Harry was still walking quickly and Marv was finding it difficult to keep up with him through the crowd. "Harry! Slow down!" Harry ignored him and continued walking, a frown set on his face; pushing anyone out of his path. "Harry! Just calm down! You don't even know it was us that they were talking about!"

This made Harry stop. "And how do you know it WASN'T us they were talking about?"

Marv threw his arms up in the air with a skeptical look on his face. "Harry, don't you think they would have stopped us if they thought we were committing credit card fraud? Do you really think they would have let us walk out like that? Come on, Harry! Stop making me be the smart one here!"

Harry looked up at Marv, his words sinking in. Marv did hold a very strong argument. He hadn't thought of it that way. The three of them would not have let them just walk out scot free like that. "You have a point there…." Marv smiled, pleased that he was getting through to him. After a moment Harry continued. "Sorry, Marv. I'm just…..on edge…"

Marv shrugged it off. "It's okay…." The two of them began walking again, this time side by side and walking at the same pace. "So, what do we do now?"

"We need to get to business Marv. We gotta start plannin' our big heist. I'll start looking in the newspaper" answered Harry with an air of determination. They walked across a traffic filled street and into the park area.

"Harry!" called Marv. Just as they were about to cross the street, Marv pulled on his arm in the other direction.

"What?" he demanded. He saw Marv pointing somewhere as the taller man started dragging him along.

"Masking tape!" Upon hearing those two innocent words, Harry Lyme knew exactly what Marv Merchants was plotting. Before Harry could even utter out two words Marv had gone into the hardware store and found his way to the aisle that contained white masking tape. With an impatient sigh, Harry watched as Marv went down the aisle and picked out some tape that he was going to wrap around his hand once more.

The store itself was small. One of those stores that Harry guessed was owned by a small family. Though for such a small store it held a good variety of merchandise. Harry crossed his arms with a huff and looked around as Marv chose what tape he wanted. His dark eyes quickly landed on the back of the store where he could see a small, slightly closed off section. There was a man standing behind a glass counter that was filled with bullets and other kinds of ammo. His eyes traveled up the wall behind the man and he could see a variety of guns hanging on the wall. The wheels in Harry's mind began turning as Marv gave out a triumphant cry. "Okay, Harry! I found the tape I want!"

Harry tore his eyes away from the guns and looked at the tape Marv had chosen. "Alright, ya happy now? Let's get the hell outta here!"

Harry quickly paid for the tape and the two of them walked out of the store minutes later. As Marv was busy wrapping his hand back up in masking tape Harry's thoughts lingered on the guns he had seen. He refused to mess up this time with their heist. He refused to go back to jail. He had been miserable in jail. Sure, he had been fortunate enough to be with Marv when he was in there before, but that didn't mean he would be that lucky again. If the two of them were to be placed back in jail, seeing as how they had escaped together this time, they probably would not be placed together again. Harry hated jail to begin with yet he would hate it even more if he knew Marv would not be with him. He didn't even want to think about how Marv would handle jail without him. Marv probably wouldn't last long in jail without him. The first few nights of their sentence had been the most brutal on Marv and Harry had patiently sat through Marv's anxieties which he knew would come back with a vengeance if they got sent back there. Nights of sitting in the dark cold cell with Marv was not something Harry liked to think about.

Therefore, Harry figured something would have to be done to help prevent this. While he planned on making this heist plan foolproof and without flaw, that still didn't mean something couldn't go wrong. He refused to go back to jail and he refused to put Marv through that again; even if it meant going to extreme measures.

Harry was brought out of his thoughts as the sound of happy children rang in his ears. They were walking towards the skating rink in Central Park. Everyone seemed so happy and carefree and it made Harry frown with displeasure. He spied a newsstand not too far away. "Hey, Marv. I'm gonna go grab a newspaper and see if I can't find anything we can use in it for our heist. While I do that you can—"

"Ice skate!" exclaimed Marv happily. Harry blinked at him before turning his gaze at the skating rink. "Harry, let's go ice skating!"

Harry made a face. "No way you're getting' me out there on that ice. You can make a fool out of yourself, but leave me out of it. I'm gonna grab and read a newspaper. I'll be over there." He pointed the concrete wall around the ice rink next to a tree and park bench. Marv nodded. Harry had not even been aware that Marv even knew how to ice skate, but then Harry thought wryly; maybe he doesn't.

"Alright, Harry!" The taller man walked off towards the ice while Harry went and grabbed a newspaper.

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Harry glanced through the paper, reading article after article, though there wasn't a whole lot in the paper that he was interested in. The cooing of pigeons could be heard and it slowly started to grate on the man's nerves as he began reading another article. Little did he know that the pigeons were slowly inching their way closer and closer to him as he stood there leaning against the concrete.

With an aggravated huff, Harry turned the next page. He had been hoping there was going to something a little more interesting in the paper. Although, he had seen an article in the police log about how he and Marv had escaped prison back in Chicago. Thankfully though, the article said nothing about any sightings of them being in New York; so he figured they were safe for the time being.

He turned the page once more and his eyes widened at what he saw. He smirked at the advertisement that filled the entire page of the paper. Perhaps their luck was still running strong afterwards. He glanced up just in time to see Marv do a spin on the ice. Marv had been happily ice skating for the last half hour; looking like a complete moron in Harry's opinion, though he was pleased to know Marv was enjoying himself. After he had snapped at him earlier that morning, he was glad Marv was still in high spirits. It seemed like Marv was always in a good mood and Harry couldn't understand how that was possible. So far he had kept his promise about being more open and affectionate with him. He just hoped he would be able to keep that promise. As he glanced up one more time he saw Marv raise one leg up in the air with arms spread wide. He shook his head.

The cooing of the pigeons grew louder and it was then that Harry realized just how close they were to him. He made a face. "Go on! Get out of here! Go ON! Get out of here!" he snarled at the pigeon. He took the paper and started whacking them with it. "Beat it! Beat it! Beat it! Get out of here!" He glanced up at Marv again. Playtime was over. It was time for them to get serious. "Hey! Marv! Get over here, I gotta talk to ya!"

Marv, who was happily skating in the middle of the ice rink, heard the familiar voice call out to him and he immediately stopped. Marv loved hearing Harry's voice. He always felt a sense of security whenever he heard it; as though he knew everything was going to be okay with Harry nearby. He turned to the sound of his lover's voice and smiled fondly over at him. With a goofy grin on his face he began skating his way over to Harry.

For someone who had never ice skated once in his life, Marv considered himself to be pretty good. As he skated, other skaters whirled past him. Someone with a plaid scarf skated by and Marv skillfully took his sticky hand and snatched it without the person even blinking. He smiled down at the scarf as he wrapped it around his neck. It would be a great scarf for Harry to wear, he figured.

Harry, from where he was standing on the side, rolled his eyes as he watched Marv's antics. He had to admit, Marv wasn't too bad of an ice skater. There was just one thing about ice skating he had yet to master: stopping.

"Oh, woah!" hollered Marv as he tried stopping. Instead he went tumbling down and Harry watched with idle interest as Marv collided with the concrete wall with a thump. Harry glanced down to see if he was alright, but could tell Marv was just fine for he was up and standing an instant later. Harry found it slightly disturbing that Marv was actually chuckling to himself.

. "Would you like a scarf?" he offered Harry, showing him the scarf around his neck.

"You wanna forget about the scarf, Marv? We gotta talk. We don't got the equipment to pull off anything big. You know, your banks, your jewelry stores. We don't want goods. We need cash. And we need it now." Harry glanced down at the paper, his previous thoughts coming back to him as he waited for Marv to answer.

"How about uh….hotels? Tourists carry lots of cash.." suggested Marv before snatching a kid's knitted gloves. Harry flinched slightly as one of the knitted gloves hit the newspaper while Marv flung it around his neck. He really wished Marv would stop doing that. He was going to get them into trouble if he wasn't careful.

Harry pressed on without comment about the gloves. "There's no guarantees. I got a better idea. Stores ain't gonna deposit cash on Christmas Eve. The only stores that are gonna have cash on hand are stores that carry moderately priced goods."

"Right….Right" mumbled Marv, proving that he was following along. He reached over and snatched a woman's orange ear muffs and placed them on his head.

"Ergo" continued Harry as though nothing had happened. "What stores are gonna make the most cash on Christmas Eve that nobody is gonna think to rob?"

"Candy stores?" suggested Marv happily as he adjusted the earmuffs on his head.

Harry gave him a deadpan glare. "Nine year olds rob candy stores, Marv. THIS is what I had in mind." He snickered as he flipped the newspaper around so that Marv could see the advertisement he had been looking at earlier. It was an advertisement for Duncan's Toy Chest.

Marv's face immediately lit up. "That's brilliant, Harry! Brilliant!"

"Yep, there's nobody dumb enough to knock off a toy store on Christmas Eve" jeered Harry with one last satisfied glance at the advertisement.

"Oh yes there is" countered Marv. Harry glanced back up to see Marv give him his infamous grin, his mouth open slightly, and point to the both of them, implying that they were stupid enough to rob a toy store of Christmas Eve. Harry nodded, knowing this was true. They were dumb enough; it would work out. The best part was: nobody would suspect it. Harry snickered some more as he looked over the advertisement.

He folded up the newspaper and grinned up at Marv. "Come on; let's go check the place out! We'll have to plan carefully. Figure out the best way to rob the place."

Before Harry could react though he flinched, for something was being wrapped around his neck. He looked down to see that it was the plaid scarf that Marv had stolen. He glared at Marv. "What are ya givin' this to me for?" he demanded.

Marv opened his mouth to answer when he slipped on the ice and went tumbling down and out of sight. Harry fiddled with the scarf around his neck after placing the newspaper under his arm. He looked over the concrete wall just in time to watch Marv stand back up. The curly haired man grunted and said, "I got that for you, Harry. Ow!" He rubbed at his elbow.

"I already got a scarf!" Harry pointed out.

Marv shrugged. "In this cold weather it wouldn't hurt to have another."

Harry gave a quiet sigh. He knew what Marv was doing and it was sweet of him. Yet Harry didn't need to be taken care of. If anything, it was the other way around. "Why don't you keep it for yourself, Marv?"

Marv frowned. "No, no. It's for you." He reached over and wrapped the scarf tighter around Harry's neck before the shorter man could argue.

"I don't want it!" argued Harry as he started taking off the scarf. But his words fell on deaf ears as Marv was pulling off the earmuffs he had stolen and placed them on his head.

"Here, I got ya these too" he offered them to Harry.

Harry swatted his hand away. "I already have a hat, Marv!"

Marv, sensing that Harry was getting upset, timidly brought out the knitted gloves he'd gotten. "Mittens?" He said quietly. There was a hopeful note in his voice.

Harry rolled his eyes with a snarl. "Would ya forget the scarf and gloves already, Marv! We've got work to do!" He slapped the gloves out of Marv's hands. Marv stood there frozen in his spot, a nervous look on his face as he watched the gloves fall with a silent plop onto the ice at his feet.

He debated what to say next. He looked down at his hands and fiddled tensely. He had once again upset Harry and once again he was unsure how. He had only been trying to do something nice for him. Yet it seemed every time he tried to do something right, something went wrong. He knew Harry didn't like accepting help from others, but he had been sure he would accept a little bit of help from him; Marv Merchants, his partner in crime; his best friend; his lover. It seemed he had guessed wrong.

Marv licked his chapped lips and said, "Sorry, Harry. Just thought I'd help keep ya warm. I'd hate for you to come down with something."

Harry's expression softened slightly yet he said nothing more on the matter. "Come on. Get off that ice before ya kill yourself. And leave the stuff ya stole! We won't be needin' 'em after tonight."

Marv did as he was told and unwound the scarf from Harry's neck and left the earmuffs, gloves, and scarf on the concrete wall and carefully made his way off the ice to follow Harry.

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Author's Note: Yes, some of the dialogue came straight from the movie. But I figured that would be the best way to work with the scene. It's such a memorable scene, not to mention important on what these two will be doing throughout the rest of the story. So, I admit, some dialogue does not belong to me. So, nobody come chasing after me angrily. I admit it. But everything else is my idea (except the characters of course). Enjoy! -EricaX


	5. Chapter 5

**Finding Sleep **

**Chapter 5**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

**Author's Note: A trip to the toy store ends up being a reunion they won't soon forget. **

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After managing to get off the ice without hurting or killing himself, Marv quickly caught up to Harry, nearly colliding into a woman with her two children in the process. The woman, holding her children by one of their hands, glared back at him.

"Sorry" he mumbles as he made his way past them. Harry was waiting impatiently for him to catch up. "You finished making a fool out of yourself?"

Marv nodded as he stopped before Harry, slightly out of breath. "…..Yeah…."

Harry stuffed his hands into pockets as they walked closer to the street; back to where they had been before when Marv had gotten his tape.

Harry remembered how he had thought over the guns while he has been in the store earlier. His frown deepened as he glanced sideways at Marv. Marv was blissfully unaware of the turmoil taking place in his friend's mind as he looked around him blankly. He really didn't want to see Marv back in jail. He did not wish to go back to jail himself either, but he knew he would handle hail a lot easier than Marv would. While possessing a gun was illegal in itself, it also increased their chances of escaping if something were to go wrong in their heist.

"Marv" he found himself saying.

"Yeah?"

"Stay here for a minute. I'll be right back" he told him in a stern voice.

Marv blinked down at him. "What? Where are you going, Harry?" he sounded a bit alarmed at the idea that he was going to be doing something without him. As though the thought of being alone scared him, which Harry wouldn't put past him.

He gave him an incredulous look. "What? I gotta hold your hand every moment? I said I'll be right back. Just stay out here! I'll only be a minute!"

"Why don't you want me to come in with ya?" insisted Marv.

"Cause maybe there are times when I don't want to be lost in your shadow" he snapped, though he added more softly to avoid hurting Marv's feelings, "It's a surprise."

This seemed to do the trick, for Marv's goofy smile was back on his face. "Alright…. If you say so…." Marv tried to sound macho about the whole thing, but Harry knew he was as giddy as a child. Now he would have to think of a surprise for Marv; just what he needed.

"Just stand there by the newspaper stand" he advised him. Marv nodded and stood there, picking at his teeth with his good hand. Harry watched from the store's door at Marv waved at an attractive woman stupidly as she walked by. She put her nose in the air to show her dislike.

Harry rolled his eyes and stepped into the hardware store they had been inside earlier that day. He would have preferred to buy a gun at a better store or possibly even the Black Market. But he didn't want to waste any more time. He needed to do this now.

He went to the back of the store where he had seen the gun display. He stopped several feet away; the older man behind the counter was looking through a catalogue and had not seen him yet. He grimaced. There was a part of him that really didn't want to go through with this. Never in all his years as a crook had he ever resorted to using an armed weapon. He knew how to use one, sure, but he had always believed himself to be above that. But now, after being in jail and seeing what it had done to both Marv and himself, he knew it was something he was going to have to deal with.

With a deep breath, Harry walked up to the counter to purchase a gun.

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Meanwhile, outside on the street, Marv waited patiently for Harry to return, watching the pedestrians walk up and down the sidewalk. As he stood there he wondered what it could possibly be that made Harry want to go back into the store. Harry was usually not the type to keep things from him. It made him anxious thinking about it.

"Hi…." Spoke a female's voice.

Marv looked over, still picking at his teeth to see a woman standing beside him. It was clear that she wanted to get to the newspaper stand behind him. He took his hand from his mouth and grinned, his eyes half closed as he smiled at her languorously. The woman had long dark wavy hair and was wearing a thick gray wool coat. She wore tight plants and tall gray boots. She wore a soft purple scarf around her neck.

"Hello there" he greeted her in his best deep, suave voice.

The woman smiled warmly back at him. "Hi. Um….I don't wish to be rude, but I was just trying to get a newspaper." She pointed a dainty gloved hand at the newspaper stand behind him. She gave a nervous giggle.

Marv looked behind him to see that he was, in fact, standing right in front of it, making it impossible for anyone to stick their money into it and open the stand for a newspaper. "Oh, sorry." He took a few steps forward so that she could get a newspaper. She bent over to place the right amount of change inside the slot. Marv couldn't help but lean over slightly to get a good look of her from behind. His heart would always belong to Harry, but any time an attractive woman came his way his brain couldn't help but go fuzzy as the memories of Harry ebbed away and the sight of a woman filled his mind. The best part for him was: he rarely felt guilty about it.

The sound of the front metal lid crashing to a close brought Marv back to a reality as the woman stood straight now, her eyes on the newspaper she had just purchased. She looked at Marv quickly to say, "Thank you", before turning back to the paper.

Not wanting her to leave just yet, he grabbed her arm. "Wait a second. What's your name? It's not often I see such a pretty girl as you." This line may have perhaps worked on the woman for she was smiling as she turned back to him, yet the tall bandit had completely forgotten about the white masking tape on his hand; which happened to be the hand he had used to gently grab her arm. As he went to let her go, dread filled him as realized his mistake. The tape was stuck to her coat. Marv tried to keep the panic off his face as his mind whirled.

At this point, she had turned around, not yet understanding why Marv had yet to let go of her arm. "My name is Laura. What's your –"she stopped mid-sentence, frowning as she watched Marv jerk his arm away. It was then she realized he couldn't let go of her. "What are doing? Let me go!" Marv, too worked up in his panicked state, couldn't possibly form any kind of answer as he continued focusing on getting his tape-covered hand off her. "Is that masking tape on your hand?" The woman was getting more and more worked up and scared with each passing second, trying to pull herself away from him.

With one final yank, Marv was able to release her. He stumbled a bit, a smile now on his face. Yet his victory was short lived as he looked up to see a pissed off Laura. "Uhh….Sorry about that—" he tried, but she wouldn't listen.

"Get away from me, you freak!" she spat at him before turning on her heel and walking away quickly.

Just as her words left her mouth, Harry stepped out from the store. Having heard her words and watching her storm off, the short bandit was able to put the pieces together. He walked over to Marv who was watching the woman go with a slight pout on his face. "You really know how to work 'em, Marv."

Marv sighed and crossed his arms, his pout morphing into a full-on scowl. "Oh, shut up!" he snapped.

"Ya bitch at me for flirtin' with the ladies—" he began, pulling something out of a brown bag he had in his hands. He grabbed Marv's arm and dropped an object into his hand. He looked at Marv straight in the eyes. "I'm not allowed to so much as smile at a girl without you gettin' upset. Yet you're allowed to flirt with 'em all ya like." Harry stuffed the brown bag into his large coat pocket; he didn't want Marv to see the gun just yet. "This is for you, ya hypocrite!"

Marv looked down at the item in his hand and his eyes widened in surprise. "You bought me more tape! Thanks, Harry!"

"Yeah, yeah. Just don't go scarin' off any more women with that stuff, got it?" Harry chastised.

Marv nodded, slipping the new roll of masking tape into his own coat pocket. "So, what else did you get?"

Harry frowned, his entire persona going stiff. "What do ya mean?"

Marv rolled his eyes with a chuckle. "What. Else. Did. You. Get?" He repeated more slowly.

"What makes ya think I got anything else?" challenged Harry. He took a gloved hand and secured his hat on his head, hoping Marv wouldn't notice as he discreetly ran his other hand over his pocket where he knew the small gun was being kept.

Marv on the other hand, was just flat out amused. He laughed. "Harry, I'm dumb. Not stupid." He paused as he thought over what he just said. With a huff he continued. "You know what I mean! You can't stand here and tell me the only reason you went back into that store was to buy me more tape, when you didn't even want me to have it to begin with!"

"A guy can change his mind. I wanted to do somethin' nice for ya" groused Harry. He tried changing the subject. "Last time I do anything nice for ya…." Harry turned to walk in the other direction when Marv caught Harry running a hand over his coat pocket. He could see a slight bump in the material as though something was inside it.

"You're hiding it in your pocket!" accused Marv as he took a step closer to Harry. One step for Marv equaled about two and a half steps for Harry. The skinnier crook tried reaching for Harry's pocket, only to have his hand slapped away. There was still a slight smile on his face for he wasn't actually angry at Harry, just amused as he tried figuring out Harry's secret. Little did he know that the secret would end up being a gun.

"Leave it alone, Marv!" warned Harry.

"So, you admit you're hiding something! I knew it!" beamed Marv, now all the more determined to figure out what it was. Without another thought, Marv leapt for Harry's pocket, side-stepping around Harry and reaching his long arm around the man's waist to reach for his pocket. Years of stealing made it quick work for Marv to reach into his pocket while Harry cursed and spat at him angrily. Harry managed to grab hold of Marv's arm tightly and wrenching it away from his pocket, yet not before Marv's sticky hand managed to grab hold of the gun.

"MARVIN!" In his rage, he started punching and kicking at Marv, unknowing that Marv had succeeded and that the damage was already done. He hadn't noticed that the weight of the gun had been lifted from his pocket; having been too worked up. Punch after punch, kick after kick, Harry continued in his furious anger, no longer caring about how anxious he was making the pedestrians around them. Yet Marv just stood there and took each hit, flinching and cringing slightly with each hit as his eyes stared down at the gun in his hands.

After another minute of hitting, Harry's eyes finally landed on the gun in his hands and he stopped in mid-punch, his eyes wide. Time seemed to stand still between the two of them as life went on all around them in the busy street of New York. Harry, however, was the first one to recover as he quickly snatched the small gun back and stuffed it into his pocket. He glared up at Marv, waiting for his friend to say something.

Marv recovered from his initial shock of seeing the gun and finally stood up straight, his eyes landing on Harry. "You bought a gun…" he whispered.

Harry rolled his eyes and shook his head. "No, really?" He sighed, pushing his anger aside. "I didn't want you to know because I didn't want you to worry."

"You weren't going to tell me" assumed Marv.

Harry looked away, shuffling his feet slightly. "I would have eventually."

Marv shook his head. "No, you wouldn't have. You don't trust me enough to know. Think I'll go blabbing it to everyone we see."

A part of Harry wanted to say, 'Yes', for that was one of the reasons he didn't want Marv to know. Marv was known for blabbing and rambling on about their secrets. But he knew better than to that. "No, Marv. I don't think that. I just- I don't know. Figured I'd wait until later to tell ya. At a time when we're not in a crowded street where anyone could see us." Marv slowly nodded as he looked down at the ground. Harry raised an eyebrow. "You're not upset that I bought it though?"

Marv shrugged. "Not really." He scratched the side of his neck nervously. "I mean, I don't approve of you usin' a gun, Harry, but I'm more mad that you kept it from me."

Harry nodded. "Well, I promise not to keep somethin' like this from ya, again, okay?" He patted Marv on the same shoulder he had been punching black and blue a minute ago. "Come on. Let's just get to Duncan's Toy Chest."

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As the two of them stepped closer to the Duncan's Toy Chest store, they both were marveled at the entrance to the store. They crossed the street and stopped just before the store, looking up to read the words, "Duncan's Toy Chest" written on the elaborate sign. Surrounding the sign were animated toys. A mechanical Santa Clause sat in the middle, with an elf popping in and out of a large red Christmas present in front of it. There was a clown holding a golden horn moving up and down as though it were playing it. On the other side was a large brown bear with big eyes that looked down upon anyone and everyone who walked into the store or past the store on the sidewalk. Its head moved back and forth occasionally.

Marv had a look of astonishment on his face as he craned his head and neck up to look at the display. "Wow! Look, Harry! Those things are actually moving!"

"They're robots, Marv" muttered Harry, though he couldn't help but be impressed by the display himself. He wasn't about to admit that to Marv though. "You're not gonna act like a little five year old the whole time we're in here, are ya?"

Marv chuckled at the very thought. "Heh. No." He was still staring up at the display, his brown eyes landing on the large teddy bear staring down at them. He gulped. "Uh, let's just go inside. That bear is starting to creep me out."

Harry looked up at the bear, not seeing how the bear was creepy in the least. Though it did unnerve him the more he stared for the bear had large eyes that stared down and Harry hated being stared at. "Yeah, whatever. Let's go."

They walked through the golden spiral doors and once again they stared in awe. The store was filled with all the toys one could imagine. Five floors worth of toys was a mighty sight to see; neither of them had ever been inside a store quite this large. Harry had once heard that stores in New York were several floors high, rather than just the simple one or two, yet a toy store being this large was incredible. He was never one to play with toys as a child. He had been more the type to climb trees, dissect frogs, ride motorbikes (once he was old enough), and watch his father in the garage working on cars. Harry had always wanted to be an adult and do adult things and do whatever it was he pleased. Therefore, being in this store, he couldn't quite grasp the feeling of excitement anyone else would who had liked to play with toys as a child.

Marv, of course, was the complete the opposite. He had loved toys as a child, when he had gotten the chance to have them. Marv had been one of those children who had refused to ever grow up, finding no need to lose the fun of life in becoming a boring old adult. Kids always got to have all the fun, in his opinion. Though now, in the middle of his life, Marv did enjoy being an adult; finding that it came with some perks. Although, he still kept that childish quality about him in hopes to make adulthood more fun. So it was no surprise when Marv's eyes lit up and a goofy smile played on his lips the further they walked into the store.

The entire store was covered in tinsel, holly and red bows. Christmas lights helped brighten up the whole store, giving off a warm welcoming glow as they were hung along the ceiling and stair railings. Near the middle of the store, not too far away from the registers, stood a large, fully animated Ferris wheel with little holiday characters riding in the carts. It was like a Christmas wonderland; toys everywhere. On the shelves, along with the toys, was fake stuffed snow. Toy Elves were sitting all along the store. Near the ceiling there hung a large Santa Clause face that looked to be made out of ice. It was blowing what looked like cold air and frost from its 'O' shaped mouth.

While Marv took in the wonderland of a store, Harry's only thoughts were on the cash registers and it didn't take long for him to find them. He watched as an elderly man rang up the customers as he wished them a Merry Christmas. Though his eyes shifted past the man to where a large glass container of money sat. The words, "Contributions for St. Anne's Children's Hospital" were written on it in red cursive writing. Harry smiled, his gold tooth shining in the light.

"Bingo" he murmured to himself. He nudged Marv in the side with his elbow, his eyes never leaving the container full of cash. He blinked a moment later when Marv didn't immediately respond. He tore his gaze away to look up at Marv, who had picked up some toy soldiers on display and were playing with them in his hand, acting out a fight between the two of them.

Harry rolled his eyes for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. He stepped on Marv's foot, which earned him a yelp from Marv. "Hey!"

"You wanna put down the toy soldiers, Marv? We're not five years old in here. I told ya not to act like a kid! We've got work to do!" he reminded him pointedly.

Marv nodded as he placed the soldiers back on the display. "Right. Right. Sorry." He turned his attention on Harry, fully prepared and ready to act serious.

Seeing this, Harry grinned and pointed over to the registers. "You see that container full money, Marv?"

Marv looked over in that direction and grinned widely as he found it. "Woah! That's a lotta cash, Harry! I'll bet there's millions in there!"

"I know! And that's not even what's in the registers themselves!" he informed him happily.

Marv's eyes widened at this realization. "Why didn't we think of this sooner?"

Harry shook his head. "I don't know, Marv. I don't know. But we thought of it now." He grabbed onto Marv's sleeve and pulled him along, eventually leading him up the stairs. Marv leaned down so that Harry could whisper as they started walking up them. "Now, all we need to do is find a good hiding place so that as the store closes, we'll be locked in."

"Locked in?" echoed Marv. "Wouldn't that be a bad thing?"

Harry sighed with a frown. "Marv, if you lock yourself in a room, are you able to unlock it and let yourself out?" Marv thought about it for a minute as they stepped onto the second floor of the store and over to where some large child-sized houses were sitting. Growing impatient, Harry didn't give him a chance to answer. "Locked doors keep people OUT not IN! Moron…."

"Oh….right…"

The two of them had stopped walking and now stood before the houses. "Now, start looking for a good place to—"

"Hey, cool houses!" interjected Marv, his eyes landing on the child-size Christmas houses on display. One of them was done in is pink, red, and white stripes. It pretty much looked like the house was made out of candy. There were pieces of candy as roof tiles and along the door and windows there were lollipops wrapped in plastic. The house next to it was a little more conservative. It had a pointed blue roof and was done in blues and white with a little bit of pink. It had a little screen door and a little dolly is sitting in front of it.

It was then that Harry's eyes landed on a cop that was walking around the store, checking to make sure everything was running smoothly. Harry's eyes widened; fearing that they would be recognized. Earlier that morning their names had been in the paper, meaning the New York police were already aware that they had escaped and more than likely had their mug shots all over the police station. "Marv! Hide!"

Marv had just enough time to figure out what was happening to duck out of sight before the policeman could see him. Harry had hidden behind a large stuffed teddy bear that was to the left of the houses. He poked his head out to see the policeman walking down the stairs and onto the first floor. Seeing that the coast was clear, he came out from his hiding place and started looking for Marv. "Marv! Marv!" he started calling out quietly.

"Over here, Harry!" came Marv's voice. Harry followed the sound of his voice, pushing back the end of his scarf which had fallen off his shoulder as he had gone into hiding. Marv must have been squatting down behind the houses for his head suddenly popped up from behind the candy themed one. Harry saw him and gestured him over, yet Marv was too busy looking at the back of the house. "Hey, Harry, I'll bet I can fit inside this house! It's bigger than it looks!"

"Don't be ridiculous—" began Harry yet he stopped in mid-sentence as an idea struck him. "Marv! You're a genius!"

Marv blinked at him with a confused expression. "I am?"

Harry started making his way over to the blue house. "Just get inside!" he urged him. Marv didn't need to be told twice.

Harry got behind the house and noted that it was open in the back. A little oven, sink, and fridge were inside. A little living room area and everything. He knelt down and started crawling inside. After a moment, he opened the front window of the house and poked his head out of it.

"Marv!" spoke Harry in a stage whisper from the little window. "Marv!"

A second later, the window to the other house opened and Marv's curly nest of hair came out from his window. He peered out the window. "Hey! Nice house! But there's no bathroom in it!" Footsteps could be heard as someone walked near them. Both of them froze, trying to act like they were part of the houses .Once the coast was clear, Marv said in a deeper, more serious voice as he turned to Harry, "Alright, so, what's the plan?"

"Everybody leaves for a nice holiday off. We come out our little houses." They both freeze once again as someone else walks by.

Marv looks back and forth before asking, "Yeah, then what?"

"We empty the registers and walk out like we own the joint!"

"Great plan, Harry!"

"Now, let's get out of here before that policeman shows up. We don't wanna get caught before we even commit the crime!"

Without further ado, the two of them crawled back out from their hiding places and dusted themselves off. As they stood and fixed their coats, Harry comments, "It's warm in here, don't you think?"

Marv shrugged. "A little." He watched as Harry pulled off his gloves. "Why are taking those off?"

"It's warm in here! It's makin' these gloves itchy!" snapped Harry. He stuffed his gloves in his pockets.

Marv looked down at his hands and couldn't help but notice the pink skin on Harry's right hand as he scratched them. Without thinking he grabbed hold of Harry's right hand where he knew the burn mark still tainted his hand from the year before. Harry didn't protest like he normally would, which struck Marv as strange, but he ignored it for now. He took a finger and traced the 'M' shaped burn mark that would forever be on his partner's hand.

As Marv traced his hand, Harry was looking down at the registers. He could see a kid checking out. He blinked as the kid struck him as familiar. But someone walked in front of the kid, making him unable to see him anymore. Harry blinked and came back to reality. He turned to Marv.

"We're in the middle of a toy store, Marv" declared Harry, looking up at him with impatience.

"You're the one who took off your gloves. You know I like tracing it. It stands for 'Marv'" chuckled the tall bandit.

Harry smirked slightly. "No. It stands for the last name of that good for nothing creep of a kid who tortured us in that house of his. The same kid who got us in jail. That little miscreant, I'd love to pulverize him."

"Eh, forget the kid. We'll never see him again. Besides, we got out of jail, didn't we?"

"Yeah, suppose you're right."

They walked down the stairs and made their way to the front of the store where they walked through the golden spiral doors and into the cold frigid December air.

"Well, where to?" Harry glanced out at the street around them, wondering what they were going to do for the next ten hours before they would be back inside the store in hiding.

Marv looked down at his feet and said almost shyly, "Well, you promised to take me to the Central Park Zoo."

Marv's reply went on deaf ears though as Harry's beady eyes landed on a familiar back pack. It was the same kid he had seen a minute ago. Several feet in front of them stood a small boy with a heavy jacket on and a woolen hat with blue and white designs on it. He squinted, trying to read the name that was written on the flap of the back pack. His eyes widened as he read the name.

"Hey, look who it is, Marv" whispered Harry to his friend as he elbowed him in the side, a malicious grin on his face. Marv, who had been glancing around the street with little interest, looked to where Harry had pointed. It took him a moment to realize who it was after he read the name on the back pack, his eyes widening as well. The Sticky Bandits both looked at each, both wearing identical malicious smirks. Both of them were thinking the exact same thing.

Just minutes ago, Marv had made the comment that they would never see this kid again. And moments ago Harry had told Marv, not for the first time, how he would love to get his hands on the little troublemaker and pulverize him. Neither of them would have ever guessed that they would have such luck. What were the odds: running into the same little punk who had given them Hell last Christmas?

Harry's burned hand practically twitched in anger as the feeling of burning pain came rolling back in remembrance. Perhaps now he would finally be able to get him back for all the trouble he had caused. Not only to himself; but to Marv. It was this kid's fault Marv and him had been sent to jail. It was this kid's fault Harry had to spend night after night comforting Marv, the love of his life, in that cold cell each night, making reassurances he couldn't even guarantee.

"Come on, let's get him" snarled Harry quietly. Marv nodded. The two of them stepped up behind the oblivious kid. Every step they took closer to him, their shadows covered more and more of the map he was looking at. Once they were a foot behind him, Harry spoke two simple words that sent chills down the boy's spine.

"Hiya, pal."

The boy flinched at his words, dropping his map and magnifying glass. Harry sneered down at him in anger while Marv looked down at him with satisfied amusement. It was apparent that the boy recognized Harry's voice just by his reaction.

After turning around and seeing the menacing Wet Bandits he had dealt with the year before, Kevin McCalister did the first that came to his young mind: he screamed bloody murder.


	6. Chapter 6

**Finding Sleep**

**Chapter 6**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

**Author's Note: After running into the very kid who got them in jail before, Harry and Marv are prepared for some serious payback. **

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Kevin McCalister started screaming as loudly as he could, shocking both Harry and Marv to the point where they both flinched. They looked around them nervously, both remembering they were in the middle of a New York street where dozens of Christmas shoppers were currently walking by, giving them strange looks.

Harry ran a hand nervously over the back of his neck while Marv looked back and forth wildly with wide eyes. He should have known the kid would have responded that way. Thirty seconds ago the idea of sneaking up behind the kid had seemed like such a simple, ingenious idea. They had been proved wrong.

They watched as Kevin made a dash for it, running across the street faster than they would have guessed a kid his age could run.

"Come on! Get him! "sneered Harry as he urged Marv to start chasing him.

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Both bandits cried out in alarm as they fell with a sickening thud. There had been no warning whatsoever. One second they were chasing after the boy and another second they were flailing backwards, only to land on the hard, slippery concrete beneath them. They both panted in pain as they tried to catch their breath, the cold December air freezing their lungs.

"Oh…" moaned Marv as he winced and raised a hand to his forehead. He tried raising his head up a bit, only to find that that was more painful. His head spun as little white stars danced before his eyes.

Harry was in no better shape. He glanced over at Marv only to see that he was in the same painful situation. "You alright, Marv?"

"Will be once the world stops spinning…."garbled Marv, his eyes going in and out of focus as he tried to sit up. Harry could see that Marv was struggling more than he was. The two of them were shoulder to shoulder, Harry noted as he raised a hand to move some of the curls from Marv's face. He then winced at his own pain. The pains in his back were not going away anytime soon, he could already tell.

They had both landed precisely at the same time, for Harry had finally managed to catch up with Marv. Harry placed a hand down beside him in hopes to sit up right, but an annoying jab hit the center of his palm. Without sitting up, he craned his neck to look down to see what it was as he lifted his hand. A tiny ivory pearl sat innocently in his hand. Harry's brows knit together as he tried to figure what that, of all things, was doing there. He looked around them and saw that the pearls were everywhere. There was no ice either.

"That little CREEP!" snarled Harry. Marv turned his head to give him a curious look. "He spilt pearls all over the cement for us to fall on! I thought I saw him doing somethin'!"

Marv looked around them to see that Harry spoke the truth as he picked up one of the said pearls. He dropped the pearl and set the back of his head back down on the cold concrete and closed his eyes.

Harry, however, refused to let this bother him for his fury was still high and his blood was still boiling over what Kevin had done to them. He sat up on his elbows, his eyes darting back and forth in hopes to catch sight of Kevin. His eyes finally land on the small boy, seeing him dart past the concierge of the Plaza and bolt through the golden spiral doors.

"Come on! Get up! Let's get him!" he urges to Marv, who finally manages to sit up and look around dizzily.

Harry stood up first and looked down at Marv. "Come on, Marvin! Get up! We can look over our bruises later after we've pulverized that little snot!" He grabbed hold of Marv's arm and gently helped the tall, lanky man to his feet. Harry frowned as Marv nearly fell over from the dizziness. "You alright?" he asked again.

"…Yeah…..Let's get him…."mumbled Marv, blinking rapidly and gaining some of his balance.

"He went into the Plaza!" he informs Marv as he grabbed his arm to help him get more stable.

"Our Plaza?" He looked down at Harry.

They started making a mad dash for the golden spiral doors to the Plaza hotel. Sarcastically, Harry answers him as they shove their way through the door, "No! The Plaza sixteen blocks down and to the left. YES, our Plaza! How many Plazas do you think there is around here?" Marv never did answer for Harry stopped abruptly in front of him causing him to come stalling to a halt, his arms flailing. "Shhh!" warns Harry, raising an arm to Marv's mouth.

Near the elevators, the prim-looking woman seemed to be dusting herself off as the concierge dragged Cedric off of the floor. Neither Harry nor Marv understood what had just taken place between those three, but they both had a suspicion it had to do with Kevin.

"Act nonchalant" instructed Harry out of the corner of his mouth. He stood up straighter and fixed his scarf.

"'Act' what?"

"Just act calm!"

The two of them followed the three staff members around the hotel's first floor, going back to where the indoor pool was located. The hotel staff was racing through the hotel, which was quite uncharacteristic for them, proving that it was indeed an emergency. Harry and Marv quickly followed suit. Harry sneered at any of the guests who looked their way with disgust at their appearance. He honestly didn't care what anyone had to say about them, especially high class members. Marv seemed to be less aware of what was happening and simply followed Harry. He knew it had something to do with getting back at Kevin; that was really all he needed to know in order to follow willingly.

Harry stopped before rounding the corner of the hallway the three staff members had gone down. He paused to look back at Marv and raised a finger over his lips to let Marv know to be silent. Marv gave a nod and peered around the corner over top of Harry since he was so much taller. They could both see the three of them standing before a door talking to security personnel.

"Please, hurry! Before the little brat gets away! He has been committing credit card fraud! We must seize him before he gets away!" the concierge was explaining hastily.

"Where is he now?" asked one of the security guards.

"I don't know! He went up one the elevators; he's probably gone up to his hotel room! He's probably packing to leave at this very instant! We must go now!" the tall dark haired concierge pleaded. The two security men nodded and darted out into the hallway. Just as the five of them were about to leave, one of the other doors in the hallway opened.

"What is the meaning of all this commotion?" demanded a man in a suit with white hair.

From where they were hiding further down the hallway, Marv leaned down closer to Harry. "Who's he? Like the owner of this joint?"

Harry shrugged. "I would assume so. Maybe. I dunno. Just be quiet!" Marv shut his mouth and said nothing more as they continued to listen.

The concierge was explaining to the white haired man why they were currently getting security. "There is a guest who has been committing credit card fraud! The McCalister kid! We must stop him before he runs out of this hotel! I have no more time to explain this to you! You may come if you wish!" he turned to Cedric, the prim-looking woman, and the two security guards. "Let's go! Follow me!"

Harry and Marv flinched when they saw the six of them running in their direction. "Move! Move!" hissed Harry urgently, turning around and jamming his hands into Marv's stomach and started pushing him in the other direction. "They're coming!"

Marv stumbled backwards as the shorter man started pushing into him. He wasn't entirely sure what all the urgency was about, yet he did what Harry told him. He turned on his heel as fast as he could and made his way over to the phone booths, trying to make it look like he was planning on making a phone call. Harry did the same thing, grabbing one of the phones and acting as though he was digging into his pocket for a quarter. The two bandits watched as the six of them made their way to the elevators, all shoving inside of it in their haste.

Once the coast was clear, Harry slammed the phone back onto the receiver. "So….the little creep committed credit card fraud…."

"I wonder what he's doing here and why he's alone" said Marv from behind Harry.

Harry was still staring at the elevators in deep thought. He was wondering the exact same thing. Why was he not with his parents? He had been alone outside of Duncan's Toy Chest. No decent parent would allow their child to walk alone in the streets of New York City, even in pure daylight. Although, these were the same parents who had left their kid alone in a house all by himself, so he couldn't say for sure. It just seemed like every time they ran into him, he was by himself, making it all the more curious as to why.

Finally, Harry broke out of his thoughts and said, "Come on. Let's see if we can't catch the little runt ourselves." Without turning back to look at Marv he started walking to the front lobby doors. Marv followed him uncertainly, not understanding what they were about to do.

"Wait! Harry! Where are we going?" he asked quietly and urgently as they went back through the spiral doors and back out into the cold air.

Harry turned around abruptly, startling Marv. "Don't ya wanna get your hands on that little troublemaker?"

"Of course, but, Harry, the hotel security is already after him! How do we know they haven't caught him?" Marv pointed out as Harry started leading them around the side of the hotel. They walked down an alleyway, between the Plaza and the building next to it. Steam was coming out from a steam grate in the middle of the ally, making the space around them all the more uninviting.

"Please. Knowing that little snot, he'll be running out of these doors in a couple of minutes. Believe me, Marv. I know how these things work. Whenever you're tryin' to run out of a hotel without bein' caught, ya go for the side doors. Security personnel never think of those places until it's too late. They worry about the main doors." He looked up at Marv. "I'll bet you didn't even notice the security guard we walked past at the front door."

Marv shook his head, Harry's words not really sinking in. He was too busy thinking about something else Harry had mentioned. "Wait, what doors were you talking about?"

Just as he had asked that question, Harry stopped cold, a proud smile on his face as he dug his hands into his pockets. "These doors."

Marv stared down at Harry for a moment before looking in the direction Harry was currently facing. Without his knowledge, Harry had led them to the loading dock of the hotel. This was where the semi-trucks came with the food and supplies for the hotel. There was a cement landing before them where a door could be seen. The loading gate was currently shut since there were no deliveries.

"You think he's gonna come out this way?" inquired Marv as he ran a hand through his curls.

Harry nodded confidently. "Yep."

"You're sure?"

Harry's smile disappeared as a frown replaced it. He turned to Marv. "Would you stop questioning my intelligence? It's YOURS we should be questioning!" He paused a moment before continuing. "And yes! He's gonna come flying out this door any minute and he's gonna be all ours!"

Marv nodded, though winced as the pain from landing on the cement earlier came back in a wave of pain. He rubbed the back of his head. Harry saw this and looked up at him with some concern. "You alright? You really hit your head back there, didn't ya?"

"….Yeah…."

"Don't worry" Harry assured him in a softer, soothing tone. "Once we're done takin' care of the brat we'll head back up to our room and relax. I'm sore too from that fall. Been a while since we've been slammed down like that. Reminds me of last Christmas." He shuddered at the memory.

Marv smirked. "Maybe we can fool around a bit?"

Harry raised an eyebrow at him. "Is that all ya think about?"

Marv shrugged; his goofy smile on his face. "I'm a guy!"

Harry chuckled and shook his head. "Yeah, Marv. Whatever ya want. We got time to kill anyways until tonight. Speakin' of which, I figure we wait until midnight. That way we know for sure no one is around. I mean, this is New York, after all. A city which never sleeps. Then we grab some phony passports and—"

"Head off to Arizona!" finished Marv happily.

Harry glowered at him slightly. "What is with you and Arizona? Arizona ain't even a foreign country! No! We'll go someplace like the Bahamas. Or Rio!"

Marv nodded with a smile, liking the plan. "Works for me. So long as I'm with you, Harry." The words had come out of his mouth before he had even thought about it. He gave Harry a sheepish look.

"That's sweet, Marv, but leave the sweetness to the candy bars you love shovin' down your throat" he quipped.

Marv threw his hands up in defense. "There is no crime against having a deep love for chocolate. And if there is, I proudly declare I'm guilty for it!" Marv laughed for a second before silence fell between the two felons. They waited for several more minutes in hopes that Kevin would be coming through the doors and into their grasp.

It wasn't long before they could hear hastened footsteps echoing down the stairway and the heavy metal door to the loading dock flying open. Just as Harry had predicted, Kevin McCalister came shooting out the door and off the loading dock. The two of them waited patiently as they watched Kevin looking back behind him to see if he was being followed. Though it wasn't what was behind him that he should have been worried about. Harry and Marv wore identical mischievous grins as Kevin jumped off the cement loading dock and their grins grew when they saw the horror and fear appear on his face when he finally turned and saw them; his scream sounding like music to their ears.

"Come to Papa!" cried Harry victoriously as he caught Kevin easily in his arms. The boy didn't weigh too much for his size. He placed him down on the ground, his fist tightening around the collar of his jacket.

Marv was quick to snatch the airline ticket from Kevin's hand. "Round trip to Miami." He read from the ticket. "What's the matter? Get on the wrong plane, squirt?"

Harry grabbed the ticket and tore it up with pleasure. "Looks like you won't be needin' this, kid."

"America don't fly to the promise land, little buddy." Sneered Marv. Harry peered at him out of the corner of his eye. He needed to remember to teach Marv more threatening lines. He pulled the frightened looking Kevin along.

"Come on!" The shorter bandit quickly shoved Kevin into walking, making sure he was squeezed between them to lessen the chances of him getting away. He was sure to keep a tight grip on the boy's collar. "We spent nine months in jail, thinking we had the worst luck in the universe. We were wrong, little buddy!"

Marv grinned, his mouth talking before his brain could comprehend what he was saying, "We busted out of the clink and we're doin' fine! We're gonna be doin' even better. Because we're not robbing houses anymore. Now we're robbing toy stores. At midnight tonight we're gonna be robbin' Duncan's Toy Chest. Five floors of cash! Then after that we grab a couple of phony passports, then it's off to Rio—"

As Marv continued to talk, Harry glared at him, getting angrier the more he spoke. "Marv! Marv! You wanna shut up!"

Marv blinked down at him with wide eyes. "What's the difference? He's not gonna talk to anybody! Except maybe a fish." He sniggered before adding, "Or the undertaker."

Both men felt pleased when they heard Kevin give a small gasp of fear. Yet even though they had the boy, their worst enemy, Harry still felt an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. As they walked with the boy in tow, he still didn't feel the satisfaction he had suspected he would feel once they had him. Neither of them had anticipated seeing Kevin here, of all places, and memories of the previous Christmas would not leave him be. The last time this kid had been involved they had ended up in jail. The weight of the gun in his pocket suddenly seemed three times heavier as he was brutally reminded of it. With a deep frown forming over his features, Harry knew there was only one thing they could do that could truly make him feel better about the whole situation. It seemed almost fate that the same day he bought a gun he ran into an old nemesis.

"Let's just get him to the subway tunnel .I'll feel a lot better once we get him on ice." Harry growled, his voice now indicating his darkened mood. Marv glanced over at Harry with a concerned frown. He had no idea what was going through his friend's mind, but he knew dangerous look on Harry's face meant nothing but trouble. They walked briskly and determinedly out into the main sidewalk and out in public where they quickly joined the throng of pedestrians walking by. As they prepared to cross the street that would take them towards the park, Harry opened his mouth to speak once more. "I've got a gun in my pocket. If you open your mouth you'll be spitting gum out through your forehead."

Marv shifted uneasily on the other side of Kevin though neither of them had noticed. Kevin was too busy wrapped up in his thoughts, trying to figure out the best way to escape. Harry was too busy in his own thoughts as he plotted out the best way to deal with the boy without being caught. Marv had forgotten about the gun there for a while, having been distracted from running into Kevin. He still was not quite over the initial shock of Harry even having the gun. He truly didn't feel comfortable with the idea at all; he hated the thought of Harry with a gun, even if it was just for precautions.

The three of them stopped along with the people around them as they waited for the walking signal to turn. While the two of them were deep in thought and looking around anxiously, Kevin made his move.

Marv had been glancing off to his left when he noticed the short haired blonde woman in front of him turn around. He looked at her, remembering his run in with her the day before. He grinned at her. "Well, hello."

Pain shot through his cheek as the woman slapped him, catching him completely off guard. He lost his grip on Kevin and fell backwards. Why did women keep insisting on hitting him? He knew Harry would only laugh in his face or scold him later about it; which only worsened his mood.

"He did it!" he heard Kevin announce to the woman. He had no idea who he was talking about.

Harry, who had been brought out of his thoughts at the sound of Marv shouting in pain, turned back to the woman after looking to check on Marv "Did what?" he demanded. Anger coursed through him at the thought of the boy accusing him of anything he didn't do. Yet he was struck with pain himself as the woman slapped him before he could so much as blink. He lost his grip on Kevin, who he vaguely heard thanking the lady before dashing off.

Both Harry and Marv were stunned at the sudden hit they had taken from the lady and it both of them a moment to recover. "Go get him, will ya?" muttered Harry as he gained his balance and the pain started to subside. Marv, of course, had recovered first. "He went into the park!"

Marv started running in the direction Kevin had taken, leaving a stunned Harry to watch and "What are ya doing—" Harry's words were mumbled in his anger as he chased after Marv. The two of them shoved aside anyway who were in their path, both determined to catch the kid who had surprised them once again. "I can't believe this!" Harry began as they ran into the park.

"That woman slapped me again!" Marv was saying in disbelief. "I really think she likes me! She did that yesterday too!"

"What are you goin' on about?" snapped Harry.

"That woman who slapped us! She slapped me again! I think she likes me!"

"Shut the hell up, Marv! You've no idea what you're talkin' about! A broad don't slap you in the face if she likes ya! She slaps you in the face if she hates ya and never wants to see your ugly face again!"

"You think I'm ugly?" Marv heard himself asking through his pants of breath. They had reached the long cement stairway that led under the bridge where they had seen Kevin run down. "OW!" he shouted in pain as Harry jabbed his elbow into his side.

"Just focus on getting' the kid! It's your damn fault! You just had to go and open your goddamn mouth and tell the kid our plans! Now someone knows that we're gonna be makin' a heist tonight. He even knows the time and place! Ya damn moron! It's times like this I wonder how you even get up in the morning; ya got no damn brains at all!"

"Hey…" grumbled Marv. That had hurt. He frowned as they finished running down the steps and Marv could feel his words pierce through him. He hated to admit it, but Harry was right. He was stupid enough to go blabbing their plans to Kevin, when he had been so sure he wouldn't get away and wouldn't be able to tell anyone. Though it had been Harry's last sentence that had hurt him the most. Harry had said it with such certainty, making him wonder if that was what Harry truly believed. Yet he was brought out of his thoughts as Marv spotted Kevin running a ways ahead of them; a class full of children talking and laughing before them.

"Over there!" he cried and pointed toward Kevin's direction.

Just as they were about to continue chasing after Kevin, they ran into a large group of kids as they were waiting for their chaperone to take them to the next place. They grunted and snarled past the kids, shoving them out of the way, looking at their faces in hopes to see Kevin's. Marv started snatching the hats off the kids with his sticky hand in hopes to see their faces better. The kids immediately started fussing at this.

As the kids started to disperse and walk away, Harry turned to the sound of Marv's triumphant cry, "Hey! Harry! I've got him!" Marv lifted up the kid he believed to be Kevin and waited for Harry to look him over.

"Let me see!" Harry looked up at the kid's face and frowned, disappointed. "That ain't him. Get out. Put him down! That ain't him!" Marv set the kid back on the ground, who immediately darted off in fear. Harry took a look around the park, shoving his hands into his pockets. His initial anger was gone as the loss of killing off Kevin wore off. "Shoulda shot him when we had the chance. I hate pulling a job knowing that little creep's on the loose."

Marv, who was aware that Harry was still sore at him about the whole thing, tried to shrug it off. "Eh, what can he do? He's a kid. Kids are helpless."

Harry shook his head. "Not this kid."

Marv knew this to be right, be he still said, "Yeah, but this time he doesn't have a house full of dangerous goodies to get us with. He's in the park. He's alone. Kids are afraid of the park." He said this with a smirk, knowing Harry would agree.

Harry nodded. "Yeah. Grown men go in the park and don't come out alive." He took one last look around the park before turning to walk away with Marv. "Good luck, little fella."

As they started walking, Marv's eye caught the tan fedora that the man walking before him was wearing. With an easy swipe of his sticky hand, Marv snatched the hat and placed it on his own head, which sat there funny do to the long curls of his hair.

"Well, Marv" began Harry as they started walking back up the cement stairs. "With that over with…" He stopped when he saw the fedora on Marv's head. "Would ya stop stealin' people's hats and scarves?"

"Why? It's fun" beamed Marv as he proudly walked with his new hat.

Harry sighed and shook his head. "Marvin, I really worry about you sometimes" he muttered. Marv frowned at his comment, his brows knitting together in confusion.

"What are you tryin' to say there, Harry?" His frown deepened as he stopped walking and anger started boiling under his skin. Harry stopped before him, seeing Marv's anger and frowning in the process. He fixed the green scarf around his neck as Marv chose his next words. "You think I'm just some…..bumbling moron who can't take care of himself! I'm tired of you always putting me down, Harry! You promised me you would stop doing that and here you go doing it again! On top of that, you go and get all sneaky on me and buy a gun without my knowledge! You insult me and now you don't even TRUST me!"

He knew what his friend was saying was true, but if there was one thing Harry Lyme hated, it was being yelled and accused at. "Marv! First off, keep your voice down! Its reasons like that I didn't tell you about it to begin with!" Marv made a face and winced as he once again screwed up. "Second off, you have to stop giving me REASONS not to trust you. And reasons not to insult you! Stop acting like an idiot and I'll stop treatin' ya like one! Third off-" he cut off there as he watched Marv's shoulders sag and the anger leave him. Marv looked away and started walking off. "Marv!"

Marv didn't wish to hear anymore. The argument had just begun yet enough was said that Marv didn't wish to hear any more of it. It was clear that Harry had good reason not to inform him of certain things; like the gun. He couldn't even talk about it quietly and he stupidly brought it out in full daylight in a crowded area when he should have known better than to go digging into Harry's pocket. Not only that, but Harry had basically admitted he didn't trust him. That alone hurt him deeply. The love of his life and partner in crime couldn't even trust him; let alone anyone else. He couldn't be trusted because of his stupidly and lack of control over his mouth.

"Forget it, Harry" he said softly. He grabbed the fedora hat on his head and tossed it to the ground, not caring what happened to it as it started rolling away in the soft December breeze.

Harry watched him walk off, mentally kicking himself. He ran a hand over his head, securing his woolen hat. He sighed and started walking off after Marv, wondering if the other man even knew where he was going, yet not stupid enough to ask him that after the fight they'd just had.

The two of them remained silent until they reached the Plaza. Just as they were about to walk up to the doors, they saw two police officers walk through the spiral doors. Both bandits stopped in their tracks, their eyes wide with worry. Marv looked to Harry to see his reaction yet said nothing.

Harry grimaced and gestured for him to follow. "Relax. It's probably just from the kid using the credit card fraud. The police were probably called and they're checkin' the joint out. Just act natural."

Harry walked in first with Marv trailing in behind. Just as they had predicted, the policemen had immediately started interrogating the concierge in hopes to figure out what had taken place. Harry and Marv were able to easily move on without being spotted by the men in blue, yet both made sure to hide behind their coat collars just to be on the safe side. They were not positive whether or not they would be recognized and they didn't wish to take the chance.

"Welcome back, sirs" greeted Cedric as the elevator doors opened. He stepped out and bowed to them before walking over to the concierge and policemen.

Harry and Marv had both given him a nod, not even bothering to act polite. Once inside the elevator, Marv clicked the button for the floor. Harry looked to see which one he had clicked and was sorry to say that it was the wrong one. He debated even saying anything, yet knew he had to. "Wrong floor, Marv. We're on the fifth floor, not the fourth."

With an angry pout Marv slammed his fingers into the fifth floor button. Harry knew Marv was upset, resulting in the silence coming from the usually talkative man, yet he didn't even know where to begin with him. He was tired and his back still ached from when they had landed on the concrete. It hadn't helped that they had to run almost half a mile; it seemed, to catch up to the little brat named Kevin. He figured Marv was still in pain too, remembering how his lover's head had bothered him. He wondered if Marv was still in pain, yet knew he probably wouldn't get a straight answer if he asked now. He was going to have to wait until Marv cooled down before doing anything. Marv was not the type of guy to dwell on things and was usually one to jump back up after being put down.

The elevator dinged and the doors opened for the fourth floor, which was the wrong floor. So they waited for the doors to shut and for the elevator to move up one more floor. Once they were on the correct floor they stepped out, Marv in the lead, and headed straight for their room, which was halfway down the hall.

Marv grabbed for the doorknob, yet remembered too late that Harry had the card key and he let it go. He crossed his arms as he got out of Harry's way and waited for him to open it. Before Harry opened it he looked up at Marv. He was getting tired of this. "What? Now you're not gonna talk to me? You gonna pout all afternoon?" Marv didn't answer, just leaned against the wall as he waited; making sure not to meet Harry's gaze. "Look, about what I said back in the park—Ya gotta start being more careful, Marv. Ya can't go around blurtin' that stuff in public. And ya should know better than to blab our plans out like that, especially to that little creep!" Marv nodded, yet said nothing. Harry knew he was still upset, but he simply didn't know what else to say until he found out from Marv what it was that was bothering him. He took the card key and opened the hotel room.

They both walked in and took off their coats, dropping them on the back of the red armchair that sat near the door. Marv kicked off his shoes next, not caring where they went. Harry took off his hat just in time to see Marv plop down on the red armchair.

In an attempt to make conversation, Harry said, "You know, we never did get anything to eat for lunch. Though, I'm still kinda full from that big breakfast we had. How about you?" Marv shrugged, finding a lot of interest in a small red thread popping out of seam of the chair. Harry frowned. "Dammit, Marv! Would you just SAY somethin'?"

"Somethin'" mocked Marv, being decidedly smart with him.

Harry's frown deepened. "Oh, very funny! You're so funny, Marv!" he spoke sarcastically. Marv just shrugged in reply and looked towards the fireplace. "What do you want me to say? You want me to say, 'I'm sorry'? Look, I was just tellin' ya as it is! Things have gotta change around here, Marvin, if you want us to get our lives figured out! We can't mess this up!"

"So, you're sayin' I'm messin' this up?" Marv finally replied.

"Don't you dare go puttin' words in my mouth!" he growled, pointing a finger at Marv. "I didn't say that!"

"You implied it" snapped Marv.

Silence filled the room for several minutes before the spiteful words came out of Harry's mouth before he could stop himself. "Do you even know what the word 'implied' means?"

This got an immediate reaction out of Marv as he quickly snatched a small pillow from beneath him that had been on the chair and threw it savagely at Harry, hitting him square in the nose.

"Screw you, Harry!" he snarled viciously. Harry took a step backwards at the impact of the pillow and from Marv's sudden outburst of fury. He had never seen Marv so furious before. His eyes widened as Marv stood up, though a scowl was on his face, for he was not about to let this get to him. "You know, I don't ask a whole lot of ya, Harry! We've worked together for years and yet you still treat me the same way you did the first day we met! You insult me every chance you get! You don't trust me! You hide things from me! Then after you promise to stop doin' that stuff, you turn around and buy a gun without tellin' me and then here you are, insultin' me again! All I ask is a little trust and….less insults! I know I'm a moron, Harry! You don't have to remind me! There isn't a day that goes by I don't wish I couldn't be a little less annoying or a bit smarter, just to make you happy! Not only am I pissed at you for hidin' the gun from me, but I'm WORRIED about you! This isn't like you, Harry!" He took a step closer to the shorter man and reached out to him. "You used to say you're above using guns and that you're a better person than that! What changed your mind? Did you ever think that if you somehow got caught with that gun before I knew about it, we'd both get sent to jail and I wouldn't even know why until behind bars because I'm walkin' along like the moron I am next to you!"

Harry breathed deeply, knowing Marv was right. It had been wrong of him to think he would be able to keep something like a gun from Marv. He had only wanted to protect him. "Marv, the only reason I didn't tell ya about the gun, was because I….. I thought it would protect you…"

"Protect me? How, Harry?" demanded Marv.

Harry shrugged. "You're a good guy, Marv. A much better guy than me." He paused and pointed to himself. "There is a shit ton of stuff I've done in my life that makes me a far less person than you will ever be. And I guess by keeping the gun a secret, I was protectin' your innocence. The gun wasn't your idea and never even would have crossed your mind and I guess I wanted to keep it that way."

Hearing it be put that way, Marv found it harder to be mad at him. It seemed he was only looking out for him. Marv just wished he hadn't needed to hide things from him. "Oh….I see…." He paused. "Well, please, Harry. Let me know these things. I'm your partner. And not just for crimes. I appreciate all that, but…..Harry…." he was now the one pointing at himself. "Despite what you say, I'm still far from innocent." He even dared to grin a bit. Harry couldn't help but nod in agreement. "And as for me blabbing our plans to the kid…..Well, from now on, you're just gonna have to punch me in the stomach faster to shut me up cause we both know that won't change about me even if I tried!"

Harry chuckled at this. "Yeah…..I guess so…Come here…" He reached out his arms to Marv and allowed the lanky man to hug him. He held onto him tightly, enjoying Marv's closeness more than he was willing to admit. They stayed that way for about a minute before breaking apart. They looked at each other. "TV?"

"Yeah!" squeaked Marv in agreement. Without further argument, the two men walked into the bedroom to crash on the bed and watch television, both knowing they had a long night ahead of them.

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Author's Note: Well, I wrote this instead of studying for math exam. I know I shouldn't have, but…I just couldn't stop working on it. I still have time to study though, thankfully. Thanks to my fast typing and persistence to get this done. Marv and Harry's first big fight. Pretty intense. I hope I kept them in character for all that. I think I did. Well, more to come soon! Enjoy!


	7. Chapter 7

**Finding Sleep**

**Chapter 7**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

**Author's Note: With the threat of seeing Kevin again no longer in their minds after leaving him helpless in the park, Harry and Marv start preparing for a great night and a great heist. **

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The two bandits were lying next to each other on the bed, both half asleep as they watched the television. Marv was wearing nothing but his orange vest and white shirt that were worn underneath his coat and light sweater. Both of their coats were still in the front room where they had left them. His slacks and socks couldn't be seen since he was halfway under the covers. Harry was wearing his long sleeved gray shirt and pants, all other clothing having been taken off.

Marv winced, feeling the pain in the back of his head return with a vengeance. Grimacing, he turned his face into the side of Harry's head, who was laying on his left. After remaining there for several minutes, Harry began to wonder what was wrong. His eyes still on the television, Harry asked, "What's wrong?"

Marv didn't reply right away, yet when he did, Harry didn't like the answer. "My head. It hurts."

Harry frowned, his full attention now on Marv. "From when we fell on the concrete earlier?"

"….Yeah…."

Harry sat up a bit, much to Marv's chagrin. The taller bandit didn't want to move, he just wanted to rest. He grabbed onto Harry's arm to keep him from moving away too far. "Marv, let me sit up and get a good look at ya. I can check your head if ya want. I'll bet you bruised your head. Or maybe you got a small concussion."

Marv winced again. "Please, Harry. Let's just rest. I'm tired…."

Harry nodded. Rest was definitely something Marv needed at the moment, but he wished to take a look for himself. He tried once again to see if he could sit up a bit more, but, predictably, Marv had something to say against that. The curly haired main only whimpered some more when Harry tried sitting up again. He gave a huff and looked over at his lover. "Marv, I'm just going to sit up. I'm not going anywhere!" Marv's grip on his arm loosened ever so slightly, though not all the way, allowing Harry the ability to finally sit up straight. He turned his torso so that he could face Marv more clearly.

Marv did look awfully tired; Harry could even see a hint of bags under the man's eyes. An uneasy feeling settled over him as he continued to watch Marv closely. The lanky bandit was watching Harry with half lidded eyes; a clear sign that he wasn't fully awake.

He slowly leaned over and kissed Marv on the forehead. Marv closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation of Harry's soft lifts on his skin. "That feels nice Harry."

Harry smiled at this comment, yet instead of kissing him again, he gently moved Marv's head to the side. "I just want to take a look and see if I can't find a bump or bruise on your head. Tell me if anything hurts."

"It hurts now…."moaned Marv.

Harry frowned, tilting his head so that he could look Marv in the eyes. "I meant if I touch your head; let me know if there is any sudden pain!"

"Oh…..Right…"

Harry gently ran his fingertips over the skin of Marv's head, pushing away his long curly hair as he did so. Near the back of Marv's head he could feel a slight bump. He timidly ran his fingertips over the tender skin, making Marv flinch in recoil from the touch; snapping his head away.

"Oww!" wailed Marv as he winced. "Please don't do that!" He took his own hand and touched the sensitive spot.

Harry quickly retracted his hand, guilt and sorrow for his friend washing over him. He leaned back so that he could see Marv clearly in the face. "Sorry…" he muttered kindly. His voice told Marv that he truly did mean it. "Yeah, you've got yourself a nice bump back there. It's gonna be tender. But just keep your head on these pillows and you should be fine. They're soft enough. Probably have goose feathers in them."

"Goose feathers? Why goose feathers? Are they softer than other feathers?" inquired Marv. Marv had always been interested in useless trivia for unknown reasons.

Harry shrugged. "I don't know. I just know pillows are more expensive with goose feathers in them." He just watched as Marv seemed to become sleepier.

Harry began trying to think of the reasons, other than the fall on the concrete, which could have made Marv so exhausted. It was then that it occurred to him. He turned to the bedside table on the other side of him and saw that the clock read that it was 4:52. It was going on dinner time. It was at that distinct moment that the shorter man heard his stomach growl in protest to the lack of food. The two of them must have been watching television a lot longer than they had expected. It was no wonder why Marv wasn't feeling good; the two of them hadn't eaten since their large breakfast earlier that morning.

"Hey, Marv?" began Harry quietly. He took a hand and ran it through Marv's curls. Marv looked to him with a curious gaze. "Are you hungry? I know I am. We haven't eaten since this morning. That might be another reason why you're so tired and your head hurts."

Marv nodded. "I am a hungry" he stated. He then smirked, resting a hand on Harry's stomach. "And it sounds like you are too."

Harry chuckled and pushed Marv's hand away. "I am. Come on. Let's go get ready and go out to eat, would do ya say?"

"I say, that sounds like a great idea, Harry!" approved Marv.

"Think you can get up?"

"I think so. Though, could you do me a favor?"

"Hmm?"

"Make the room stop spinning."

Harry frowned at his answer and grabbed Marv's arm as the other man started to sit up. Marv lightly felt the back of his head again, wincing when he felt the pain of touching the bump. Harry had been right; he hadn't felt anything on the back of his head before, but now he could definitely feel the now prominent swelling on the back of his head. When he met Harry's worried gaze he gave him a reassured smile. "I'll be okay, Harry. Once I get moving I'll be alright. Besides, I'll have you at my side, won't I?"

Harry gave him a solemn look. He didn't believe Marv fully understand just how seriously he was considering that innocent question. He nodded with a sad smile, knowing Marv had no idea that he not only meant he would be there now, but Harry would always be there for Marv. There was no possible way Harry Lyme was ever going to be able to leave Marv; the other man was far too important to him.

Not liking the trail of thoughts he was currently thinking, Harry shook his head lightly as he pushed himself off the bed, urging Marv and himself to get moving. "Come on, Marv. Let's hurry. The more I sit here, the hungrier I get!"

Marv forced himself off the bed, moving his long stick-like legs to the edge of the bed where he managed to place his feet on the carpeted floor. Stars flashed over his eyes as he moved, his mind going in circles from the pain in his head. Yet the pain was slowly started to subside as he finally managed to stand.

On the other side of the bed, Harry was watching him carefully, making sure nothing happened to him. Harry found it quite amazing. The two of them both had a bit of a bipolar relationship. Not long ago the two of them had practically been at each other's throats, both arguing about their relationship and in the long run, both arguing about how much they loved each other and how much they were willing to put up with in order to be with each other. Harry put up a lot when it came to Marv; he knew that. They both knew it. Yet Marv always had to deal with a lot when it came to Harry. That was the initial point of their fight. Harry loved him his so much, he was willing to hide things from him and Marv loved Harry so much that he was willing to deal with all the ridicule. Both of them were rather hopeless, Harry had decided; in two entirely different ways.

Marv walked into the bathroom, his balance getting steadier with each step. Seeing that Marv was fine, Harry started getting himself dressed. He searched the floor until he found his socks and shoes, placing them on after sitting on the bed. He could hear Marv in the bathroom humming to himself. He knew the taller man was doing his hair. Marv had the strange habit of humming whenever he did his hair. He could hear Marv running water in the faucet.

"So, where are we going to eat?" called Marv from in front of the bathroom mirror. He leaned in close to the mirror to inspect his hair line, running his fingers over it to fix it.

Harry shrugged from his spot on the bed, having just finished putting the last shoe on his foot. He began lacing up the shoes strings. "I don't know….I saw a nice Italian restaurant down the street. We could try there."

"Italian?" echoed Marv.

"Yeah."

"I could do Italian."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, me too. It sounds good."

Marv came out of the bathroom just as Harry was standing up and tucking in his gray shirt. He looked to Harry expectantly. "How does my hair look?"

Harry grinned at him. Marv had always taken pride in his hair. "Looks great, Marv. Great for our dinner date."

"'Romantic' dinner date?" corrected Marv with a sly grin. He walked over to him and slid his hands around Harry, holding him close. He tucked Harry's head under his chin. "I'm sorry about earlier…" he added softly.

Harry shushed him. "Quiet. None of that. Let's just forget about it. We both said we were sorry. We're both gonna work on our problems, right?"

"Right." He reluctantly let go of Harry and followed him into the front room where they both put on their coats. Just as they were about to head out the door, Harry happened to glance down at Marv's feet.

"Shoes, Marv. Shoes would be nice here" he teased with a shake of the head. Marv looked down at his feet, his toes wiggling in his white socks.

"Oh, right!"

Harry waited a moment until Marv got his shoes on, taking a deep breath and knowing that Marv would never change; nor did he want him to.

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The elevator doors opened just in time for a slap to be heard echoing from the lobby's front desk. The Sticky Bandits were quite oblivious to what had happened before their arrival, for both of them were happily in their own little worlds. With the threat of Kevin gone from their minds since they had left him defenseless in the park; the two of them were now feeling pretty good about themselves. Harry began to feel even more at ease when he saw that it was already getting dark. The little bundle of misery wouldn't last long in the darkness of the park. The weight of the gun no longer felt as heavy of a burden as it did before. Neither of them noticed the concierge at the front desk holding onto his cheek and looking as though all of his dignity had been lost.

As they walked away from the elevators, Marv, who had been waving up at his ceiling reflection once again, did not see the red-haired woman who had walked in front of him. Harry had seen and side stepped her, having clearly seen her anger and determination in her steps. Yet Marv accidently bumped into her, colliding into her.

Both of them squeaked at the impact and it took both of them a moment to recover. Marv looked down from the ceiling and looked into the eyes of the woman he had run into. "Oh, sorry, miss!" He apologized quickly, his tongue feeling heavy his mouth. She was quite an attractive woman and he couldn't help but feel his cheeks go warm.

"It's quite alright" the woman was saying, her voice emotional and snippy. She was adjusting her purse on her shoulder when she suddenly dropped it. The woman's hair was a striking red in a pixie cut hairstyle. She wore a long tan coat with round black buttons. Despite her struggle to remain unaffected, Marv could see the woman was deeply troubled; making his heart go out to her. He glanced at Harry, who was standing next to them; watching. Not seeing any sort of jealous scowl on Harry's face, Marv was prompted to keep talking to her. He reached down to pick up her purse.

"Sorry, let me get that" he offered before she could respond. He stooped down and picked up her purse, looking into her eyes as he stood up and handed it to her. He couldn't help but ask. "Are you okay? What's your name? My name is Marv."

The woman looked at her purse almost cautiously before taking it from him. "Kate. My name is Kate." She said curtly. She then began talking faster than Marv was prepared for. "And if you must know, I am not alright. I am tired and I do not wish to be here. I only wish to find my son who is lost somewhere in the freezing dangerous streets of New York somewhere!"

Marv frowned, feeling true sympathy for her. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Yes, well, I must get back to my husband. Thank you for getting my purse. Merry Christmas" she told him and she even turned to Harry with a nod, who nodded back. Though she had wished them a Merry Christmas, both of them could tell she didn't mean her words. There had been no warmth in her words, just desperation and tiredness. They watched as she walked over to a man with short dark hair and urge him towards the spiral doors. She was desperate to start looking for her son.

"Wow…" mumbled Marv, watching her until she was out of sight.

Harry nodded. "Yeah…..Crazy world, Marv. I tell ya what. Parents need to take better care of their kids. Lettin' her kid get lost in a city like this…..Boy….I tell ya…" he shook his head as he trailed off.

"She was really pretty…." Marv said quietly to himself, though Harry heard his words and looked up at him.

"Marv…She's MARRIED! And has a kid!" Harry pointed out. "That's the last thing you need to be thinking about…."

Marv could hear the slight hurt in Harry's voice that he knew he was trying to hide. Marv frowned, knowing he had practically drooled over a woman right in front of him. He knew it hurt him when Harry flirted; so he knew it would hurt from Harry to see it too. Marv wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulders and started leading out of the hotel lobby. "Wouldn't have mattered anyways, Harry" he declared with an air of pride.

Harry looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. "Why not?"

"Because I'm already happily with you and no one could replace you" whispered Marv sweetly. It was now Harry who felt his cheeks go warm as they walked out of the hotel. He felt himself move closer to Marv once they were out in the December air.

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The Italian restaurant they had agreed to eat at was only about a block and a half down the street from the Plaza, allowing them to get there without any trouble. Harry also liked the idea of staying close to the hotel because as soon as they were finished eating they would have to head back up to their room and prepare themselves for the heist they would be running later that night.

Both of them were currently sitting towards each other in one of the many booths of the restaurant. The place was not too busy since it was still slightly early for dinner, yet both of them could tell they came at the right time and more and more people began coming in to eat.

Marv and Harry were both glancing through their menus when their waitress appeared before their table. Where she stood cast a shadow over their table for she was standing before a bright overhead lamp. It was her shadow that had caught their attention.

"Hello, boys" the waitress greeted them politely. She was a younger waitress, though closer to Marv in age than Harry. She had long dark curly locks of hair that came down to rest on her shoulders. She had bright blue eyes and a soft smile. Marv liked this waitress far better than the older sluttier blonde waitress from the night before. At least until the woman asked to take Harry's order.

While this waitress was not nearly as forward or brazen as the other one had been, it was still clear to him that she was just as interested as the blonde waitress had been. He forced himself not to roll his eyes as he took off his fingerless gloves and stuffed them into his coat pocket.

"Hi, my name is Ginny. Can I start you off with anything?" she said this as she was looking at Harry. Marv was once again being ignored, though he was far from caring.

Harry glanced over at Marv before answering, seeing his friend shift uncomfortably in his seat. He looked back up at Ginny and said, "We have a long night before us, so no beer yet. We'll start off with two Pepsi's." Ginny nodded and left to go get their drinks. Harry then murmured to Marv, "Hope that's okay that I ordered for ya."

Marv shrugged. "That works. I didn't want beer anyways." Marv had never been a big drinker unless he knew he was going to be staying in his apartment for the rest of the night. He did not like drinking in bars, because he knew he was a happy drunk who rambled on too much and often spilled things and made a mess. He was enough of a bumbling fool without alcohol in his system, he figured. And he knew Harry didn't wish to drink because they needed to be focused for their heist later that night.

Harry nodded and looked back at the menu. Once they had decided what they wished to order a few minutes later, Harry placed down his menu and leaned in toward Marv. Marv leaned in as well. "I figure we head over to Duncan's Toy Chest about ten o'clock. The store closes at half past ten since it's so close to Christmas. That'll give us enough time to get in, hide, and hang out until the coast is clear. Then, at midnight, that money is ALL ours…."

"Sounds great, Harry!" beamed Marv with a goofy smile. Though his smile quickly vanished as Ginny re-appeared with their drinks.

"Here you boys are" she said to them as she set down their drinks. "Now, are you fine, gents ready to order?" She pulled out her little notepad and pen.

Harry smiled up at her. "Yes, we are."

Surprisingly, she turned to Marv first. "What would you like, dear?"

Marv blinked at her for a moment before jumping into action and looking down at his menu to tell her what he wanted. "Um…..I will have the….." He scanned the menu, trying to find the dish he wanted to order. "Oh, right! I'll have the shrimp linguini!"

"Wise choice" Ginny told him, jotting it down. "What would you like with that?"

"Like with it?" he echoed.

"You get two sides, dear" she explained.

"Oh! Umm….I'll have a house salad and bread sticks" he replied.

"Alright. And for you, sir?" she now turned to Harry and it was clearly obvious that she was interested in him. She stood a little too close to him; closer than she needed to.

"I'll have the Lasagna. Not the vegetarian one. I can't stand anything vegetarian!" he told her, making sure he ordered the right one. She nodded. "And I too will have the house salad and bread sticks with that."

She nodded, jotting it down. Just as she was about to leave, she looked at Harry once more. She narrowed her eye sat him as though she was trying to remember something. He gave her a questioning look. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

Harry shook his head. "I doubt it. This is the first time I've been to New York. We're from Chicago."

Ginny nodded. "Really? Because I could have sworn—"

Harry nodded and raised a hand. "Yeah, yeah. Hang on, miss. Let me stop ya right there." She paused, looking at him with wide eyes. Marv was also looking at him with wide eyes. He knew the reason why Harry was stopping her; both of them had seen women hit on him this way before; it was just the fact that Harry was actually doing something about it that startled Marv. "Look, you're a nice lady, but I've seen this before. The ol' 'you look familiar' trick."

"Oh….I-" Ginny began, but Harry cut her off.

"Let me save ya some time, miss. I'm gay." Marv, who had gone to take a sip of his drink, sputtered; Pepsi flying everywhere and dripping down his chin as his eyes went wide. Harry calmly handed Marv a napkin before looking back up at Ginny. "Yes, and while I am flattered, I am happily in a relationship with my friend Marv here." He gestured to Marv, who was now beet red and looking down at the table as he dabbed the tabletop awkwardly with his napkin.

"Oh…..I see. Well, congratulations. I suppose I should thank you for being so honest" she told him. Harry nodded and watched as she walked off. He then turned his attention to Marv on the other side of the table, highly amused. "Wasn't expectin' that, were ya Marvin?"

Marv raised his napkin back up over his mouth to get the last of the Pepsi, silently shaking his head. He answered in a quiet, "Nope."

Harry chuckled, looking down at his hands as he placed his elbows up on the table. "Yeah…..I figured instead of watchin' you sittin' there in your seat all jealous every time she came by and flirted with me, I would just lay it out in the open."

Marv finally looked up, placing the napkin down. "Thank you, Harry. That means a lot to me. I know that wasn't easy for you to admit to her…."

Harry frowned at that comment. It wasn't what Marv said that upset him; it was the fact that he was right. He nodded. "Yeah, it is hard for me to admit that openly…." He paused while Marv tentatively took another sip of his Pepsi. "But it shouldn't be…."

Marv set down his glass and smiled. Then he gave Harry a puzzled look. "What exactly made you want to say it to her though? There's got to be more than having to watch me be jealous. If that was all it took, you would have done it ages ago!"

Harry should have known Marv would expect more reasoning out of him. "Well, to be honest, it was what you said back there in the hotel lobby." Marv's brows knitted together as he wracked his brain and tried to remember what it was he had said. Harry went ahead and told him. "It was when you had been talking to that woman. When she walked away you said you liked her, but it wouldn't matter because you're happy with me and that you couldn't replace me."

Marv grabbed his silverware which was rolled up in a napkin beside his drink. He started unfolding the napkin and fiddling with his fork and knife. "Yeah….That's right. I couldn't replace you. Not ever. And I hope that someday, after a great heist…..We'll be filthy rich and will live under the same roof and never have to work another day in our life if we don't want to and just live the good life. Together."

Harry tilted his head in interest. He had never heard Marv talk about the future like that before. Sure, they had talked about how they someday watched to be rich, but never had Marv been so bold as to say he wanted to be with Harry forever. It warmed his heart knowing there was someone else out there who wanted to spend the rest of their days with him; the bad-tempered and sarcastic Harry Lyme.

Harry reached over and grabbed one of Marv's hands. "You really think of things like that?"

"Sure, I do!" beamed Marv happily, his goofy smile playing on his lips. "Why wouldn't I? It's going to happen someday, right?" Harry looked into his eyes and saw such positivity and hope in Marv's chocolate brown eyes, a spark of innocence Harry would never fully understand, yet would always appreciate.

"Yeah! I mean, look at tonight! Five floors of cash, Marv! This is our night!" he flashed his gold tooth at Marv. Marv's positivity was clearly contagious because Harry could feel himself getting excited and optimistic about the night ahead of them. "After tonight, we'll grab our phony passports and head off somewhere where nobody would think to find us! We'll be swimmin' in dough my friend and livin' the high life!" he grabbed his glass and raised it. Marv smiled brightly and grabbed his own glasses as they clinked their glasses together and drank in toast.

The rest of dinner had gone by quickly. Marv had eaten his shrimp linguini while Harry had eaten his lasagna, both of them declaring it to be delicious. "Just think Marv" Harry had said at one point. "After tonight, we'll be eatin' out like this all the time!" This only seemed to make them both all the more excited about the heist.

Since Harry had practically announced they were together he had found no reason not to lean over the table and give Harry a kiss on the lips. Harry had been hesitant at first, glancing at the people sitting around them, but after realizing no one was even paying attention to them; nor cared, he kissed back contently.

After Ginny had taken away their plates and informed them that she would be bringing their check, Marv couldn't help but ask the question that had been on his mind throughout the meal. "We're having dessert, right?" Harry didn't answer right away. He propped his hands up on the table and looked at Marv carefully, as though he were studying him. This made Marv squirm a bit nervously and shyly in his seat. "What?"

Harry slowly nodded, taking his hands away and under the table. "Oh, yeah. We're having dessert."

Marv eyed Harry suspiciously, a smirk playing on his lips. He knew Harry was up to something, but he couldn't say what. When Ginny came back, Harry grabbed her wrist before she could set down the bill. "Sorry, but we've decided we're going to have dessert."

"Oh! Okay, great!" she quickly switched gears and brought out her little notepad and pen again. "What would you boys like?"

"Do you have hot fudge sundaes, by chance?"

Ginny nodded. "Yes, we do!"

He looked at Marv. "We would like two orders of hot fudge sundaes. And…" he turned to Ginny. "Is there any way we could add strawberries on those?"

"Umm…..You know, I think that could work. Might cost extra but—"

Harry was already nodding. "Sounds great. And we'll take those to go, please."

"Okay! I'll be right back and I'll add those to your bill!" said Ginny and she turned to go.

Once they were alone, Marv looked at Harry, expecting an explanation. However, Harry didn't give one. He looked at Marv innocently. "What?"

"What are you up to, Harry?" he accused lightly.

Harry shrugged, looking as though he were appalled at the question. "Who says I'm up to anything?" he defended, pulling out the stolen credit card so that he could pay.

Marv continued to pester Harry about what was going on in that scheming mind of his, but Harry wouldn't budge. He refused to tell anything to Marv. It wasn't until they were back in the hotel elevators did Harry finally say something that allowed Marv an idea to what he was planning.

Each of them were holding their own little carry-out box and waiting for the golden doors to open. At length Harry said, "I thought we could eat dessert here in our room. I figured we would appreciate the flavors better this way."

Poor Marv had no idea what he was talking about as he raised an eyebrow at him. "Harry, "he started, running a hand through his curls. "Are you sure there wasn't anything in that drink of yours? It wasn't spiked, was it?"

Harry laughed at that. "No, Marvin, it wasn't spiked. I'm being honest!" He pulled out the card key and slipped it in the door slot, opening the door to their room a second later.

They walked into the room and once Marv shut the door behind him, he couldn't help but continue to pester Harry. "Come on! Tell me what is going on, Harry!"

Harry set the desserts on the table and took off his coat, hat, and shoes. Marv quickly did the same thing. Harry finally turned to Marv and cocked his head to one side. "Seriously, Marv? You can't think of ANY reason why I would want to bring the desserts back here to the hotel?" Marv slowly shook his head, a bewildered look on his face that Harry dubbed as endearing. He sighed, "Alright, I'll tell you. You see…" he paused as he took off his shirt, leaving him in only his thin white undershirt. He grabbed the desserts after tossing aside his shirt into the bedroom. He walked off to the bedroom, Marv following behind him like a little puppy. "I thought it would be more enjoyable to eat our dessert here in bed…." At this, Harry sat on the bed, placing the dessert boxes next to him, and looked at Marv expectantly.

Marv's eyes immediately widened as it finally dawned on him. "That's why you wanted the strawberries…."

Harry silently grabbed hold of Marv's hand, helping the taller man peel off his layers of clothes until he wearing nothing over his chest. Marv laid down on the bed, his head resting against the fluffy red pillows. Harry moved to be on top of him, kissing him along his collarbone. In between kisses he said, "Yes, Marvin…..That's why I wanted the strawberries…." Now that Marv understood what was going on, the two of them enjoyed their dessert like never before, knowing in the back of their hopeful minds that the night was only going to get better if fate allowed them to have their way.

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Harry had made sure to set the alarm for nine o'clock so that they would have an hour to get up, shower, change, and prepare themselves for the heist they were about to pull. Harry planned on going down into the local store and pick up an inexpensive traveler's bag so that they would be able to have a place to stash the money they stole.

Marv had taken longer to wake up for his head was once again bothering him. After rushing down to the front lobby he had been able to ask for some aspirin to be brought up to them. Marv had happily taken the small pills in hopes they would take away the pain in his head. Harry didn't know how long his head would continue to hurt, but he figured so long as Marv didn't bump or hit his head any more times for a while he would be fine.

They were in the midst of getting their coats on when Marv stopped in mind action to reach down and kiss Harry on the cheek. Harry smiled at the gesture. "Tonight was wonderful, Harry. Thank you so much."

Harry shrugged with a smile that was slightly smug. "Don't thank me yet, Marvin. The night is still young."

Both bandits laughed as they walked out the hall, all of their belongings on their person in case they decided not to return. They figured they would not tell the hotel staff they were leaving a day early in case something happened and they needed to spend another night in New York. If all things worked out as planned, they would be out of the country in about a day and a half.

There was hardly anyone in the hotel lobby, let alone on the streets of New York. It had only taken them about twenty minutes to walk there. They both shivered from them cold as they walked, both of them having nearly slipped on ice in the process. There was a lot of ice on the sidewalk tonight. Halfway there, Marv grabbed hold of Harry's hand, holding tightly in his own. Usually Harry would have protested, but he said nothing, knowing it was pointless since the two of them were the only ones out of the street.

Once they reached Duncan's Toy Chest it was close to fifteen minutes after ten o'clock. There were still a few costumers at the cash register waiting to check out. The two bandits tried to make themselves as inconspicuous as possible, though that was a challenge in itself since Marv kept getting distracted by all the toys. After slapping Marv silently in the shoulder for the third time, Harry and Marv made it up to the second floor without anyone seeing them. They immediately went to the houses and settled into their hiding spots. They were going to have to stay there for a good hour and half since they wanted to be sure all the security guards had left the store, meaning they had some time to kill.

No one was up on the upper floors, so the two of them were free to whisper to each other to make time go faster.

"Harry, how much money do you think is down there right now?"

Harry shook his head from where he was laying on his back inside the toy house. "It's hard to say, Marv. It's Christmastime. Everyone is buyin'.

"So, are we going to Arizona then?" was Marv's next question.

Harry shut his eyes in frustration. "Would you stop thinking about Arizona? Arizona is in the United States! It's NOT a foreign country!"

"Oh…..How about Utah then?"

Harry groaned as he placed a hand over his eyes. It was going to be a long hour and a half.

"Harry…."

"Yeah, Marv?"

"What if we get caught?"

Harry blinked at this question. He had not been expecting Marv to ask that question. For the past several hours the two of the had been in such high, positive spirits about the whole heist that Harry was finding it difficult to think that anything could even go wrong. He shifted his position in the small blue and white house.

"Don't worry about that Marv. We won't get caught." He assured him, though his voice held no assurance. In fact, his words felt empty to his own ears.

Marv, who was much taller, was barely able to lay back in the house and fit in it properly at the same time. His knees and legs were sticking out of the house ridiculously. He could hear the uncertainty in his partner's voice and he didn't like it in the least. "Well, whatever happens….please don't leave me Harry…..Don't….let them separate us, like they thought about doing the last time….I…..I don't think I could handle it…."

Marv's words broke Harry's heart a little, which was strange for him, since he was normally not the type to feel emotional like that by just simple words. "I won't, Marv. Don't you worry. I won't let that happen…."

Marv nodded from where he was laying and neither of them said another word until it was time to rob the cash registers, both of them lost in their own world of dark thoughts.

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Now that the lights were out in the store, it was just a might spooky inside of Duncan's Toy Chest, especially since all the animated toys and decorations were still slightly lit up. The large cube clock chimed twelve midnight as its eyes moved back and forth and its move opened and closed.

After hearing the clock strike twelve, Harry sat up from inside his house and looked out the window. "Marv! Marv! Come on, let's go!"

Marv sat up at the sound of his name, poking out his head from his own window. He said nothing as Harry urged them to get moving. He looked back and forth and gave a quick nod before starting to crawl out of the house.

Harry and Marv met in front of their little houses and grinned at each other. "Let's do this!" grinned Harry. He pulled out his crowbar from the bag and then reached in to give Marv his own.

"Yeah!"

They both silently started making their way down the long carpeted stairs, both anxious and excited for what they were about to do. Neither of them could contain their glee as they both started chuckling once they reached the registers. Harry glanced up quickly at Marv before raising the counter entrance that blocked entry into the registers.

They both went behind the counter. Harry turned to the cash register itself while Marv turned his attention to the large glass donations box.

"Marv?" spoke Harry. Marv turned to him, his crowbar at the ready. "Crow bars up!" The tapped their crowbars together and turned to the task at hand.

Harry immediately set to work on using the crowbar to open the register. It didn't take long, since he was used to working with a crowbar. Once it was open, his eyes shone at the sight of money. "Merry Christmas, Harry!" he whispered to himself as he smiled down at the cash before him.

Meanwhile, Marv managed to get the donations box open. He gave a cry of happiness as he raised the lid, his eyes going wide in disbelief at the amount of cash that was before him. "Happy Hanukah, Marv!" he laughed.

He dug his fingers into the cash, loving the feeling of all the money running through his hands. Neither of them wasted any time as they started taking in large handfuls of money and stuffing it into the bag they had brought with them.

"Oh! This is more money than I can even count!" cried Marv as he stuffed more money into the bag.

"Makes you wonder why we spent so much time robbin' private homes!" laughed Harry. It truly was a wonder why they had never thought of this sooner. He certainly wished they had, perhaps they wouldn't have had to be criminals for so long.

"The amazing thing is: we're fugitives from the law, we're up to our elbows in cash, and there's nobody who even knows about it!" Marv bragged.

It was as though those words jinxed the whole night. Harry should have known something was going to go wrong. Nothing ever went this right for them. It was at that moment that they both heard it: the small little knock on the window. Both bandits looked up to see the small form of Kevin McCalister waving at them through the window. They both leaned up against the counter in shock.

Anger coursed through Harry's veins at the sight of that kid. "He's back!" Marv just continued looking out the window, stunned to see the kid still alive after having left him in the park by himself. There was a flash, which made them both blink. Harry was the first one to figure out what had just happened. "He took our picture!" There was another flash.

Marv was still blinking the white lights in front of his eyes away. "How did my hair look?" Harry glared at him for a moment before turning his attention back to Kevin. Marv squinted his eyes to see Kevin better. "What's he doing?"

Though before Harry could reply, he noticed that there was something in the boy's hand. Dread filled him as he realized too late just what exactly the boy had in mind. It didn't take a genius to figure out what Kevin was planning on doing. Harry's eyes went wide as he watched Kevin raise his arm, preparing to throw the object through the glass. Marv was just staring out through the window, lost on what was happening.

"!" screamed Harry in horror as the brick broke through the glass of the front store window, instantly setting off an alarm.

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Author's Note: Well, so much for stealing from Duncan's Toy Chest and getting away with it. I really liked this chapter. I wanted these two to have some fun before their Hellish night. Please review! Enjoy!


	8. Chapter 8

**Finding Sleep**

**Chapter 8**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

**Author's Notes: There will be a lot of dialogue from the actual movie, since a good portion of this chapter will be taking place during the movie. I would just like to say and have readers noted that I am not taking credit for any dialogue or ideas from the film. Thank you. **

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"Hey guys! Smile!" cried over the voice of Kevin.

Both Bandits looked up just in time for Kevin to snap a picture of them; Harry's back on the hood of the parked car from taking a flying leap after Marv had landed on the see-saw like contraption Kevin had made. Harry glared menacingly over at the camera while Marv smiled brightly. Another flash took place as Kevin snapped yet another picture.

With the pictures now safely on his camera, Kevin darted off, leaving the two Bandits to recover. Marv turned his attention back to helping Harry up. "Come on! Come on!" growled Harry.

" I've got ya!" encouraged Marv as he pulled Harry off the car and onto his feet. Once his feet were firmly on the ground, Harry shoved Marv out of his way, his anger blinding him, though Marv hardly noticed as he quickly picked up their bag of money. He honestly didn't care at this point of Harry was hitting him; he was still too wound up over what had just happened. The stupid little brat was back and had just caused Harry to fall on top of a parked car. There was really no way for a person to be comfortable with that, especially when it happened to a loved one. Marv's own anger toward Kevin started to take over as he chased after Harry, who had already started chasing after Kevin.

Everything had been going so smoothly before the little brat randomly appeared and broke the window, shooting off the alarm of the store. Now here they were, ready to chase after him in hopes to get the evidence back from the kid.

"You've got the bag?" called back Harry from where he running in front of Marv. He turned his head back for a moment to look to see if Marv was behind him.

Panting slightly from the fact that they were running, Marv replied back, "Yeah! I got it! Don't worry about the money, Harry! Just get that kid!"

"You don't need to tell ME twice! I'll murder him!" Harry shouted back. The two of them continued running through the dark cold streets on the late December night. Neither could believe their luck. What were the chances that they would meet up with this kid again; in New York, of all places? Harry didn't find it fair, even though he knew full well that life simply wasn't fair. Everything had been running so smoothly. As they continued to run, a thought came up in the shorter bandit's mind; one that he was not going to share with Marv. This whole mess was Marv's fault. If he had just kept his mouth shut when they had the kid before, he never would have known they were going to rob Duncan's. Though as angry as he was, Harry knew he wouldn't discuss it with Marv; it would break the taller man's heart. He already felt bad for blabbing; he didn't need to rub it in.

Turning a corner, the two of them continued to run, yet after seeing that the boy was nowhere in sight, they stopped dead in their tracks. "Where'd he go?" questioned Marv.

Harry was about to answer when Kevin's voice rang through the night air.

"I'm up here, you morons! Come and get me!"

Harry and Marv looked up to the top of the building just in time for Kevin to snap another picture of them. Growling in anger, Marv snarls, "Let's kill!" He was about to take action when Harry calmly grabbed him by the arm.

"Hold on, pea brain!" snapped Harry. Marv looked down at his incredulously. "We got busted last time because we underestimated that little bundle of misery!"

Marv shook his head. "This isn't like the last time! This aint his house! The kids runnin' scared! He aint got a plan!"

Harry glared up at him. "May I do the thinking please?" Marv pouted a bit before gesturing with his arm for Harry to do whatever he had in mind. "Thank you!"

Marv sighed, knowing that Harry was the one who would solve this problem. There were times when he wished Harry would allow him to show him that he was smarter than he appeared. Apparently tonight was not that night. He watched as Harry turned to speak to Kevin, who was goadingly watching from above.

"Sonny!" he called up.

"Yes?" replied Kevin.

"Nothing would thrill me more greatly than to shoot you. Knockin' off a youngster isn't gonna mean all that much to me, understand?" Both of them could see Kevin nod.

Marv looked up as he began to pick at his teeth. He knew Harry had just told Kevin a little white lie. Harry may have hated kids, but he was never the type to wish to shoot one; expect perhaps this one. Though he also knew that Harry's word were false. It would bother him. Yet he knew Harry was simply trying to scare Kevin and therefore said nothing. He didn't wish to make any more mistakes. He listened as Harry pressed on.

"Now because we're in a hurry, I'll make a deal with ya. You throw down your camera and we won't hurt you. You'll never hear from us again. Okay?"

"You promise?" replied Kevin, sounding hopeful.

"I cross my heart….. "he ran a finger over his heart in a cris-cross gesture. "….and hope to die!"

"Okay!"

Watching Harry cross his heart and trick Kevin was an amusing image and Marv was more than happy to laugh along with Harry as the shorter man turned to him. They laughed for a moment, not believing their luck, before they turned back to Kevin.

"Okay kid, give it to me!" advised Harry with open arms as he prepared to catch the camera.

The camera was not what was suddenly flying down to them, instead, a large heavy brick came falling down to them. Harry's eyes widened at the sight and he dodged out of the way just in time to avoid getting hit, yet Marv was not so lucky. The lanky bandit hadn't been paying nearly as much attention as he should have been and looked up a moment too late before the brick came landing down on him.

Blinding pain coursed through Marv's head as he was hit by the brick, yet the brick hadn't hit him on the head. It had hit him on the shoulder. The pain from his shoulder was nothing compared to the pain that was currently searing through his head. He brought a hand up to his forehead as he stumbled, grabbing onto Harry's own shoulder for support. Harry looked up with confusion and concern in his eyes, not understanding what had just taken place. He watched as Marv collapsed to the ground.

"Direct hit!" cried Kevin from above.

Harry ignored the boy's triumphant cry, wanting to know what had happened to Marv. Kevin's words then sunk in and he then understood the meaning on them. A brick had hit Marv. Was he hit on the head? He wasn't sure. He hoped not, for he knew Marv was still recovering from the fall earlier that day.

He leaned down slightly and held up two fingers. "How many fingers am I holdin' up, Marv?"

Marv stared at Harry's hand in concentration, biting down slightly on his tongue in the process. "Ummmmm…eight?"

Harry raised an eyebrow at him, looking at his own two fingers skeptically and then turning away. Marv's answer had him worried, but there was a more pressing matter to deal with at the moment.

He looked up at Kevin, now completely infuriated. "That did it! Nobody throws bricks at me and gets away with it!" He turned back to Marv. "You alright there, Marv?" Marv's curly hair bobbed up and down as he nodded yes, his world feeling dizzy.

"Come then on, Marv! Get up! We'll check your head once that kid's gone! I don't wanna stand out here where we're sittin' ducks! You go this way, I'll go around back!"

He reluctantly left Marv there, knowing that they had to move now if they wanted to grab the kid and get the evidence he know had of them.

"Harry? Harry! Haaaaaarryyy!" cries out Marv in pain, his voice higher pitched than normal. He had heard every word Harry had spoken, yet it had all sounded like warped gargle as his head was still exploding with pain. He blinked several times, managing to get up into a sitting position.

He knew Harry had already left to go around the back and as he winced in pain, he knew he was going to have to push aside the blinding pain in his skull and get a move on. He needed to get moving. Slowly and shakily, the tall man managed to get to his feet. He wavered drastically as he struggled to keep his balance. His dazed brown eyes managed to focus on the door to the building, noting that there were steps. He couldn't disappoint Harry. He had already been a disappointment as it was since he was the one who had blabbed their plans to Kevin in the first place. He knew this was his fault. Now he was determined to set things right. The two of them were so close to having their dreams of being rich come true, he was not about to let it slip past their fingers.

With a determined grunt, he took a step forward and began walking up the steps. The dizziness he felt was causing his steps to be erratic. One step to the left, one step to the right, a short stumble, and then he finally managed to make it to the door. He eyed the door for a moment before grabbing the doorknob, pulling it quickly. Yet instead of the knob twisting, it came flying back along with his hand.

Marv looked down at the knob in his hand bewilderedly. That was when he noticed the string. It was a trick. It had to have been one of the boy's tricks. He began pulling on it, figuring that the trick had not worked. He pulled and pulled, more and more string coming through the doorknob. Then at last, it wouldn't be pulled anymore. No more string.

He would have none of this. Harry was probably already inside and here he was, not even through the front door yet! He pulled and pulled yet nothing happened. He wrapped it around his hand, turned and swung his one leg through the other side so that he was facing the door and pulled as hard as he could, his back pressed against the door.

"AHHHH!" he hollered in pain when something sharp shot into the small of his back. In pain, he turned around to see what was happening. Once facing the door, another shot of pain hit him right in the groin. "AHH!" A wave of pain and shock caused him to fall to his knees, his eyes wide. Another shot hit him square in the nose, causing him to fall over on his back.

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While Marv was struggling to get through the front door, Harry was cursing up a storm as he made his way to the side of the building through the aid of the small alleyway between the buildings. He waved a hand out in front of him as he passed over a steam grate, his thoughts turning dark as all the ways he could torture that little brat came to mind. He hated the idea of separating himself from Marv, especially since he already had some type of head injury. Neither of them knew how bad it was, but that was not the point. Head injuries were never to be messed with. He hated to think of what the little brat had something up his sleeve again. Despite what Marv believed, Harry fully anticipated a house full of traps just like the Christmas before. This time he was going to be extra cautious. He was not about to take any chances.

He continued to growl, knowing very well just how close they had been to reaching their goal. He tried not to put blame on Marv for telling the kid their plans; he had not meant any harm to it. Besides, at the time, both of them believed Kevin wouldn't be a problem. They had caught him and had planned to deal with him. They had been sadly mistaken.

Harry continued to walk down the alley until he walked closer to where a small wooden deck of stairs was, leading up to a side door. However, the wooden steps are blocked by long wooden boards and paint cans. His eyes scan the entire area until they land on a metal ladder that leads up to the fire escape of the building. He looked to see that near it was near an open window.

A laugh escapes his lips as he readied himself to jump up and climb onto the ladder. He jumped and grabbed the bar, only to have his hands slide off the bar a moment later, causing him to land on the cold concrete on his back. Winded from the impact, it took Harry a second to recover. He looked up just in time to see some green goo from the ladder fall off and land on the side of his forehead.

Realizing what had happened; his fury once again took over. He quickly gets up, furious that Kevin had covered the ladder with slippery goo. No longer caring that the steps were blocked, he walked over to them and started kicking and pushing everything aside, intending to go through the door without a problem. Just as he was about to touch the doorknob, he froze, memories of the previous year flooding back to him.

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_One year ago….._

_As the two criminals sat in the back of the police car after having just been shoved into the police cars and driven away, Marv glanced down at Harry's hand; being able to see it behind Harr's back since the shorter man was hunched over. _

"_Hey, it's an 'M'!" he grinned happily. "An 'M' for Marv!" He winced a moment later though as he rubbed his foot against the bottom of the seat. It was still bleeding a bit from where the nail went through it. Ignoring the pain, he took a hand and went to trace the burn mark on his friend's hand when Harry wrung it away. _

"_Don't touch it, ya moron!" he hissed. Marv glanced up to see the top of Harry's head. _

"_The kid did that to you?" he asked incredulously. _

"_Yeah…..little miscreant….I'd love to pulverize him…." He flinched when he felt Marv's index finger gently brush against his hand, tracing the 'M' that would forever be branded on him. Marv's touch was as soft as a feather and therefore couldn't say it hurt and thrust it away. He didn't mind it though; he sort of liked Marv doing that. _

"_We're gonna be in jail for a long time, aren't we, Harry?" asked Marv quietly as he continued to trace the 'M', his chocolate brown eyes never leaving Harry's hand. _

_Harry didn't have the energy to snap at him for such a stupid question and instead nodded slightly. "Yeah, pal. We are…." He leaned in closer to Marv, who leaned in curiously. Harry eyed the two policemen in the front of the car warily before saying, "But we're gonna bust out, Marv. I promise ya…." _

_Marv gave him a goofy smile in reply, knowing not to say anything more. He felt better knowing Harry already had a plan. _

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Snapping out of the memory from the prior year, Harry tentatively tapped the doorknob, checking to make sure it wasn't scalding hot like the one from before. He chuckled when he learned the doorknob was safe to touch. He leaned in towards the door to check if he could hear anything. He then heard the sound of receding footsteps.

"You better do better than this kid!" he called to the inside. He kicked open the door as hard as he could, only to have a bag of tools fall on him. Most of them missed, but several of them hit his arms and shoulders, causing him to lose his balance and fall to the ground with a groan.

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Scowling, Marv finally managed to get the staple off his nose, staring at it in anger once he does. Staples, the damn kid had used staples. A staple gun! It was clear that the traps this year were already more deadly than last year's. A part of him was worried about this, but another part of him didn't care and simply wanted to get inside, find the kid, and make him pay.

He stood up, quick to pull out the staples in his back and groin, tossing the staples to the ground. In his anger, he seethed at the door and slammed the doors open with his foot. He looked around confidently. "Harry! I've reached the top!" He wasn't sure where Harry was, but wherever he was, hopefully he'd heard him.

He took one step in and immediately regretted it. The dizziness came back with a force, though it wasn't his massive headache causing it this time. Marv looked down too late to realize the large gaping hole in the middle of the floor. Flailing his arms, he screamed as he fell several floors down, only to land on the hard concrete below. After a moment, he raised his head, slowly moving his head to crack his neck before promptly passing out.

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Harry sat up, feeling his head pounding. He ran a hand over his head, standing up. He dusted himself off as he walked through the door, cautiously looking around him for any more traps. Seeing a light switch he tugged on it, only to flinch a moment later, remembering yet another memory from the past year. Remembering how he had learned how Marv had gotten hit in the head with an iron the same way.

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_One year ago…_

_Hand cuffed and waiting for their mug shot to be taken, Harry glanced up at Marv, who was staring listlessly ahead of them. He noticed the markings on Marv's face and wondered what they were now that he was able to see them in better light. _

"_Marv" he said quietly, not wanting to grab the attention of the cops around them. They were in a white walled room, waiting in the hallway before the booth where their mug shots were to be taken. Policemen were everywhere. "Marv!" _

_Marv glanced down tiredly to the short man on his left. He gave him a questioning look. "What?" _

"_What happened to your face?" _

"_My face?" _

"_Yeah. Looks like something fell on ya." _

_Marv thought in concentration for a moment before saying, "Oh, yeah! That little punk kid dropped an iron on my face!" _

"_An iron! How'd he do that?" exclaimed Harry. They were suddenly being urged along towards the photo booth. One of the cops placed a hand on Harry's head, which got an immediate reaction. "I said hands off the head, pal!" he snarled. _

"_Yeah, yeah. Get a move on!" instructed the man in blue. _

_As the two of them went to have their mug shots taken, Marv continued his story. "When I was in his basement, I went to turn on one of the lights; you know a light with one of those long strings attached to it? It was a trick! It wasn't even a light! There was an iron attached to it. It landed on my face!"_

_Harry grimaced, being able to imagine would that would be like. However, Harry wasn't able to think on it for too long before they were forced to have their picture taken. _

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Shaking his head and coming back to reality, Harry noticed the large hole in the middle of the floor just in time before falling through it. He cautiously walked around it, braving a glance down it. It was a long drop; he would certainly hate to fall through it. He continued on, adjusting hos coat and wondering what other surprises the bundle of misery had planned for them.

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Marv managed to sit up on his elbows, wiping at his eyes. He slowly stood up, yet wasn't able to stand straight, the pains in his back keeping him from doing so. Still bent over, he quickly stood the spasms in his back screaming. Every bone in his spine cracked as he looked up, now standing entirely straight.

"Wow…..what a hole!" he marveled. With a light groan, he looked around himself, dusting himself off as he took a few steps forward. It appeared he was once again in the basement of the building. Why did he always end up in the basement?

There seemed to be a little bit of everything there before him, yet his eyes landed on a rope that was hanging from another hole in the floor near the back of the basement. Hoping the rope would lead him to the first floor, he started making his way over there. What harm could there be in that?

Five minutes later…

Marv gasped in air as he groaned in disgust. It had all happened so fast. One minute he had been walking over to the back of the basement and the next thing he knew he was sliding along the floor towards a wall full of paint cans.

Spitting out some of the paint that was now covering him, Marv shoved himself out from beneath the fallen shelf and pushed aside the paint cans. Paint stung around the sides of his eyes, making it difficult to see. Pushing aside the shelf case and standing, Marv looked around, his eyes struggling to see. The fumes of the paint were awful, making Marv wish he didn't have the need to breathe. If the paint fumes didn't get to him, the dizziness he was still feeling in his head would.

He eyed a roll of paper towels and grabbed it greedily, wiping as much of the paint off his face as he could. It wasn't working. He certainly hoped Harry was having better luck than he was because at the current moment, he was a mess. Marv had always been known as the clumsy one, but not THIS clumsy. This was all being done on purpose. It was that little brat's fault!

Several feet away sat a sink. Stepping over to it, Marv figured he could at least wash himself up a bit. He really didn't want Harry to see him such a mess. Harry was probably doing a great deal better than he was. Perhaps he had already caught the kid and was wondering where he was.

Twisting the handles to the sink, Marv's entire body went into shock and his hair stood on end when a large jolt of electricity surged through him, causing him to immediately let go and fall back in pain, shock, and nerves; his whole body quivering from the shock of the power.

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Unbeknownst to Harry, Marv was currently recovering from being electrocuted while he continued to walk through the apartment building without a worry. He occasionally turned on a light, flinching every time, though had yet to run into anymore traps. As he glanced around the place, his thoughts couldn't help but go back to Marv. He was beginning to wonder where the other bandit had gotten to. He had told him to go through the front doors, yet there were the front doors before him, yet no Marv.

He couldn't help but wonder if he had fallen into anymore traps. It was certainly possible. Yet he wasn't stupid enough to call out to Marv. He didn't want to let the little brat know where he was. Harry shook his head; who would have thought a young kid like Kevin could cause so much trouble?

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_One year ago….._

"_Harry, are you really sure about this? I mean, with the kid there—" _

_Harry gave a low growl before turning to his partner in crime. The two of them were currently in their small one room, run-down apartment trying their best to stay warm in the cold December air. Having had no money to buy anyplace nicer they were forced to live in their current home, which Marv had dubbed the worst place to live in Chicago. Most of the room was filled with all the goods they had been stealing from private homes the last few weeks. _

"_Would ya just let it go, Marv? He's just a little kid. One, defenseless little kid" he argued. _

"_Yeah, but Harry, what if he—" insisted Marv, yet he was cut off once again with another one of Harry's scowls. _

"'_What if he what', Marv? What's the little snot gonna do? Nothin'! He's probably gonna hide under a bed the whole time!" _

_Marv pulled the thick coat he was wearing closer to himself. "I just have a bad feeling about this, that's all…" _

"_Well, relax, Marv. Because after this heist, we're gonna be livin' it large!" smiled Harry, his gold tooth shimmering in the little light that was in the room. _

_Marv nodded and scooted closer to Harry, knowing the shorter man was probably right. He was just a small kid. What harm could he do?_

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Harry made his way through the living room and over to where he could see a bathroom with no door. Checking the sides of the door as a precaution, and sniggering when he learned it was safe, he walked through the doorway.

Seeing yet another light string, he pulled it without checking to see if it was rigged or not. Harry took a few more steps inside, the top of his head starting to go warm. It was as though his head was on fire again. He frowned and looked in the dingy mirror to his left. He gave a look of horror to discover that it was on fire! Whimpering and griping in full panic, he reached down and turned the knobs to the sink. When nothing happened his heart nearly skipped a beat in alarm. Turning around he saw the toilet, where the little amount of water was inside it.

He placed both hands on the toilet seat and did a hand stand over top of it, slowly lowering himself in. There was a soft yet painful burst of flame and then lots of heat and pain. Harry felt his head sear with pain and then a moment later it was gone. Smoke erupted from the liquid he now knew to be kerosene.

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_One year ago…_

_As the two of them sat in their cell, Marv glanced over at Harry. They had just been taken in to get their mug shots and now were to stay in their cell for the rest of the night. A question had popped into Marv's head and he was itching to have it answered. _

"_Harry?" _

"_What, Marv?" groused Harry, who was sitting on the small bed in their cell. Marv was sitting on the cold floor against the opposite wall. _

_Marv rested his hands on his knees. "Why didn't you want the cops to touch your head? What'd the kid do to you?" It was left unsaid that it was the kid's fault. _

_Neither of them had really had a chance to swap their stories about what had taken place earlier that night on Lincoln Boulevard, so Harry wasn't truly surprised Marv would ask. _

_He raised up his burnt hand. "After getting' burnt by the front doorknob, I went around the back of the house. Tried the back door again. I got in, alright. Door was unlocked. But as soon as I opened that door, damn kid had a blowtorch set up to go off on whoever opened the door!" Marv's eyes widened in fear and horror as he waited for Harry to continue. "THAT'S why I'm so sensitive with my head. It's burnt too." _

_Marv sat up and made his way over to the bed Harry was lying on. He sat down on the edge, barely having enough room since the bed was so small. "What are ya doin' Marv?" _

_Wordlessly, Marv leaned down and kissed Harry on the head. When he sat back up he said, "Sorry you had to get burnt tonight, Harry." _

_Harry sighed, appreciating the act of affection. "Yeah…..me too." Marv nodded. "And I'm sorry you had to get your feet all bloodied up." Marv nodded again, checking the foot that had the nail in it again. At least they were together, he figured with a sigh. _

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Marv crawled his way over to the rope that had originally been his goal before slipping and crashing into the wall of paint cans and getting electrocuted. He shuddered terribly as he made his way over, finally managing to stand. He followed the rope up, seeing another gaping hole in the ceiling and called up, "Harry?" His voice was shaky as he uttered the weak cry.

He tested the rope cautiously. He had been dreadfully wrong earlier when he had guessed Kevin would not have any traps in this place like he had had the year prior. He was very aware that this was just like last Christmas and now that he understood this, he was planning on being more careful. He just hoped that Harry was doing alright. He certainly hoped Harry wasn't going to get burned again like he had last time. He had felt so bad for Harry and was forced to watch Harry's hair slowly grow back. He shuddered, not wanting to think what it would be like if he lost all his hair like that.

He tried the rope several more times before he deemed it safe. With a chuckle he said, "Harry! I'm comin' up!" He jumped, intending to start climbing, yet the rope loosened and began falling in a pile at his feet. Frowning, Marv looked up just in time to see a bag of cement powder to falling. "Uh oh…..OOF!" The cement powder hit him in square on the head; forcing him to fall to the ground with a cry of pain. A mushroom cloud of powder floated through the air around him. After a minute he sat up, completely covered head to toe in white powder.

"I'm gonna murder that kid" he vouched threateningly. He then sneezed and coughed, powder falling all around him and causing more of a cloud. He stood up; now more determined than ever to get to Kevin. He was the one who had gotten them into this mess, so now he was going to get them out of it.

With an air of anger, he began searching the basement floor, collecting anything and everything he could use to create a tower for him to climb up. He began with a small fridge, then a broken book shelf, and then an old television set.

After dubbing the tower of junk finished and climbable, he took a step back to admire it. "Haha!" he cried out, every move he made causing more powder and dust to fall off him. Without another moment of haste, he began to climb it, wobbling back and forth as the television set sat unceremoniously on top of the old mini fridge. He managed to get to the ceiling and start climbing up and when the tower fell and crashed below him, leaving him to dangle.

Marv whimpered as he tried getting himself up yet froze when he saw Kevin dart across the living room floor just feet ahead of him.

"Hey!" he cried out.

Kevin, who had made his way over to a thin wooden ladder, paused to look down at Marv. "Don't you know a kid always wins against two idiots?" He smiled and continued up the ladder.

Fuming, Marv cried out, "Harry! He's in the living room!"

Harry, who was checking himself out in the mirror and minding his teeth, immediately reacted upon Marv's statement. Cursing under his breath, Harry ran out of the bathroom and saw Kevin climbing up the ladder and Marv trying to climb through a hole in the floor.

"He went up the ladder!" informed Marv.

"Come here you little creep!" Harry muttered as he started to climb the ladder. There is a sickening crack in the air and Harry's eyes go wide before he slammed into the floor below, the rest of the ladder still dangling at the ceiling.

"Oh!" gasped Marv, his eyes wide. He began reaching his arms up and kicking his legs in hopes to climb up. "I'm comin', Harry! I'm comin!" With a grunt he finally managed to get to the first floor. He didn't like the fact that Harry had yet to move after falling. It made the curly haired man worry that something was wrong with him. "Harry! Harry!" He pulled Harry up by the shoulders, thrilled to see Harry up and moving again. He bent over to get a look at Harry's face. "Hey! You didn't lose any teeth!" He remembered vividly how pissed off Harry had gotten when he had learned that he had lost his gold tooth the Christmas before. "Come on, he went to the second floor!" he announced once Harry was back on his feet. He prepared to have Harry climb up him when Kevin's voice broke through their thoughts.

"Hey!" Both bandits looked up. "Why don't you try the stairs?"

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It had all seemed like such a clever trick at the time. Harry had been sure he would be able to trick the kid this time. After pretending to get hit by the paint cans, both had deemed it safe to run up the steps, yet neither of them had expected to see the large metal beam come flying at them.

In their fear, both of them tried backing up, causing them to trip and fall back down through the floor and into the basement. Thanks to the pile of cement bags on both sides of them, the bandits had survived Kevin's vicious trap when he had released the metal bar to fall on them. It had landed inches above them, saving them from being crushed.

After pushing the metal bar off them, Marv whimpered a bit. "I can't believe he did that, Harry! That would have killed us for sure! Crushed us!"

"I believe it!" Harry said darkly. "That kid is the son of Satan, I tell ya!" The two of them were busy putting together Marv's tower. Harry stopped in mid-motion and looked up at Marv, a thought striking him. "How's your head?"

"My head?"

"Yeah. You're head. It's been botherin' ya. How is it?" he moved over to Marv and grabbed hold of both sides of his head, causing Harry to lean down as Harry inspected his head. He then let Marv go and asked, "You haven't hit your head again, have ya?" Marv looked away, not answering, yet that was answer enough. Harry shook his head and groaned. "Ugh, I'm gonna MURDER that little miscreant!"

Marv felt himself blush a bit, knowing that Harry was even more upset at the thought of Kevin hurting him. Harry's question brought him out of his thoughts. "Why are you shivering? I noticed you've been shivering a bit."

This time, Marv didn't mind answering. "He electrocuted me." He pressed on, not wanting Harry to get even angrier. "Come on! Harry!"

Seeing that Marv was trying to change the subject, he went along with it. "Marv, are you sure this is safe?"

"Yep! I worked all the kinks out!" He gave the television set a final shake. "Solid as a rock!"

The two of them began climbing the tower with Marv in the lead. After several minutes of unsteady footing, they managed to make it to the top. Marv, having reached the top first, helped Harry stand up. "I got ya, Harry!"

Once the two of them were standing, they both heard crashing and looked down.

"Like a rock, huh, Marv?" teased Harry, elbowing him in the side.

Marv simply gave him a sheepish shrug.

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"I'm done here you big horses ass!"

After having been squished by a tool chest filled with tools that had gone flying down the stairs, Harry and Marv had finally managed to reach the roof, only to find out that Kevin was no longer up there.

At the sound of his voice they ran to the edge and looked down where they could see Kevin standing on a wooden painter's lift with lots of cans of paint thinners and other oils. The little boy waved up at them.

"Woah!" gaped Marv as he saw just how far down the boy was. An idea then struck him. He glanced around and grabbed a nearby brick. "Suck brick, kid!" He threw the brick in hopes it would hit him, yet was disappointed when it came nowhere near hitting Kevin. "Ugh!" he huffed in frustration.

Harry, meanwhile, watched on, figuring out what they should do next. He didn't want to, but he knew it was there only point saves for going back through the condo of horror.

"Come on, Marv!" he encouraged, starting to climb over the side of the brick wall.

"Oh, I don't know!" fretted Marv uncertainly.

"I said, come on!" After another moment of listening to Marv whimper and fret he said, "Come on you, big sissy!"

Marv cried and whimpered as he followed after Harry down the rope. Yet after a minute of climbing down the rope behind Harry, he sniffed. "Harry? Are you wearing aftershave?"

From below, Harry replied, "That's not after shave. It's kerosene. The rope is soaked in it!"

Marv laughed at the very idea. "Now why would anyone soak a rope in kerosene?"

Down below, Kevin must have heard his question because it was at that moment he decided to act. Perhaps the boy had waited until they were near the middle of climbing down. Or perhaps Kevin was tired of waiting and wanted to see them be caused more pain. Or perhaps it had nothing to do with the boy at all. Perhaps fate just wanted to mess with them again, but it was then that little Kevin said the words, "Merry Christmas" to them and lit the rope on fire.

Harry's eyes widened in complete fear; he should have known this was a bad idea, especially after the rope incident last year. "GO UP!"

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Revenge certainly was a sweet thing. After having fallen from the side of the building and landing on the ground below, getting covered in paint thinners and other sticky oils, Harry and Marv found themselves grinning down at their tormentor who had stupidly fallen on the ice.

Looking down at him, Harry remembered the last time they had almost gotten their revenge on the little snot.

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_One year ago…_

_The sound of Marv groaning and the sound of hand cuffs was what woke Harry up. He came to his senses on the blue tiled kitchen floor, his vision fuzzy, but able to make out shiny black shoes. Marv was several feet away from him, being hauled to his feet by someone else with shiny black shoes. _

_Where was the kid? He wondered. He didn't have any time to dwell on it before someone else was hauling him to his feet. His back protested this movement greatly, along with every other bone in his body. _

"_Let's go. Get up!" someone was instructing him. He looked blearily around him. He didn't take orders, he GAVE orders. _

"_Marv?" _

"_Wake up, Harry…." Came Marv's voice from behind him, but he sounded tired and almost as though he had given up. _

_Someone placing his hands behind his back and putting handcuffs on his wrists was what snapped him out of his dreary state. "Hey! What's the big idea! Where's the kid?" _

"_What kid? We found you two passed out in here. Someone called and said their house was being robbed. Yet no owners. Just you. Now get moving!" replied one of the officers. _

_Harry whirled around in anger and snapped at Marv. "Marv! What the hell happened to the kid! We were about to pulverize him!" He no longer cared if the police were listening to every word he said. They were caught and going to jail no matter what at this point. Besides, they didn't even know what he was talking about. No kid? Oh, there had been a kid alright! _

"_I don't know what happened, Harry. But he got away somehow….."_

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Well, this time the kid wasn't going to be able to get away 'somehow'. This time they were going to be more careful. This time, Harry had a gun.

"My, how the tables have turned…." Sneered Marv as they looked down at Kevin.

"How do YOU like the ice, kid?" snickered Harry, loving every moment of the boy's scared expression. No longer did Kevin have a twinkle of mischief in his eye. Now it was simply a look of fear and it made Harry smile. They both chuckled and grabbed him, both taking a shoulder. They hauled Kevin to his feet and started walking.

"Let's go for a little stroll in the park."

Neither of them had said anything. Neither of them wanted to. They just wanted to deal with kid and be on their merry way with the kid. Marv had been sure to grab the bag of money he had left out front of the apartment building and now had a firm grip on it. This was it; this was their moment to deal with Kevin and go live their dreams of being rich.

However, a sickening feeling overcame Marv as they walked through the darkness and into the park. Exactly how Harry was planning to deal with Kevin was what unnerved him. He remembered the gun that was still resting in Harry's coat pocket. While he wanted Kevin out of the picture, he wasn't entirely sure if he wanted Harry to shoot him. He didn't want Harry having that hanging over him for the rest of his life.

Harry meanwhile, was thinking the exact same thing. He wasn't too sure how Marv was going to handle what was about to happen. The shorter man had given it a lot of thought in the past hour as they were dealing with Kevin in his house of terror. He was going to shoot Kevin and that was final. He honestly didn't care if Marv was against the idea or not. He would simply have to get over it. He didn't trust the little runt and letting him go was clearly not an option, even if they did take the evidence. Harry couldn't stand the thought of the little miscreant being on the loose somewhere in the world where he could once again show up and ruin everything.

Harry snapped out of his thoughts once they came to a small brick bridge and went down some steps. "Give me that bag! Give me it!" he demanded, snatching Kevin's bag. He stopped and while Marv kept a firm grip on Kevin, Harry pulled out the record tape and two photos Kevin had taken of them. "Hey, these'll look great in the photo album!"

"You may have won the battle, little dude. But you lost the war" goaded Marv, forgetting about the gun the best way he could. Yet that was far from possible as he knew Harry was about to use it. Harry gripped Kevin tightly around the collar.

"You oughtn't to mess with us pal. We're dangerous" Harry warned. He slipped his hand into his coat pocket and pulled out the gun, ignoring the fact that it was currently covered in the same syrupy mess that he and Marv were.

Marv, not wishing to see Harry shoot Kevin, looked around them. He knew there was nothing he could do or say that would change Harry's mind about killing the boy right then and there, and while he didn't want Kevin's blood on his lover's hands, he knew there was nothing he could do about it at this point. He figured he just wouldn't look and would ignore the sound of the gun going off and pretend it was a car backfiring in the distance. He would fool himself into believing it would never happen. Yet his eyes landed on the trees and another sickening feeling overwhelmed him that had nothing to do with the gun. He felt like they were being watched.

"Harry…"

Harry forced himself not to roll his eyes. He should have known Marv was going to say something. He should have known he was going to make a fuss about the whole thing. "Shut up" he hissed out of the side of his mouth, his eyes never leaving Kevin.

Marv looked up through the trees, his eyes full of fear and worry as he looked up at all the pigeons staring down at them. Something was not right. Pigeons didn't stare down like that, did they? He watched as more flew in and landed on the branches around them.

"Harry….." he tried again.

"Shut up. I wanna enjoy this!" insisted Harry. He pushed the gun closer to Kevin.

"Something is wrong. Let's get out of here" Marv attempted to reason. He honestly didn't care about the shooting; he just wanted to get as far away from those pigeons as humanly possible.

"Shut up, I said!" he snapped at Marv. Yet to Kevin he said more menacingly, "I never made it to the sixth grad, kid. Doesn't look like you're gonna either." He pressed the gun up against Kevin's coat, causing the boy to gasp in fright.

"Let him go!" cried a woman's voice from behind them. They turned to see who it was. "Kevin, run!"

Without warning, Harry lost his grip on Kevin thanks to his slick fingers. In anger, he turned fully to the unknown woman. Harry was surprised when he heard Marv shout encouragingly for him to shoot the woman.

"Shoot her! Shoot her! SHOOT her!" shouted Marv in a panic. Marv just wanted to get away from all this; away from Kevin, the pigeons, and now the creepy lady.

"I'm TRYIN' to shoot her!" screamed back Harry in his frustrated state. He fumbled with the gun in his hands, cursing under his breath as he realized the syrupy substance on him was also on the gun and keeping him from using it properly.

Harry and Marv flinched and gawked at the woman after she covered them in bird seed with the aide of her bucket. It then occurred to them exactly why she had done so. Both bandits screamed as they were suddenly attacked by pigeons who were desperately pecking every inch of their bodies in hopes for some bird seed. The pigeons just seemed to keep coming. More and more of them. They both fell to the ground, overwhelmed. As they fought through the pigeons and tried shooing them away, all Harry could think about was how they had failed yet again. He had failed. Any minute now the cops were sure to be there, especially since he could see fireworks in the distance. He didn't need to be told that it was Kevin who had set them off. They were going to be sent back to jail. He heard Marv scream bloody murder, just like he had done when the spider had been dropped on him last year. It made Harry's heart break a little knowing that he had failed him. He had promised Marv freedom and riches; and now that wasn't possible.

There was a gunshot and both bandits flinched and froze, feeling all the pigeons fly away. Predictably, the police had shown up. Both Harry and Marv are coughing up feathers from their sudden attack.

They were hauled to their feet and handcuffed. "You boys shoulda started earlier" said one of the policemen. "The prisoners already exchanged gifts."

Marv looked up with a devastated look on his face. His mind was dizzy yet again and his vision was barely there, but regardless, he said without thinking, "We missed the presents?" He gestured down to Harry. "He made us hide out in the store so we could steal all the kid's charity money."

Harry's eyes went wide in fury. "Shut up, Marv! We have the right to remain silent, you know!" he punched Marv in the side the best way he could with his hands cuffed behind him. Marv screamed when a pigeon flew out from inside his jacket.

"He's a little cranky" continued Marv. "We just broke outta prison!"

"Shut up, Marv! Geez!" Harry shook his head after punching him again, yet he immediately regretted it when he saw Marv's pained expression. He knew he shouldn't put full blame on Marv for he knew his head injury was now worse than before. Marv had warned him he would probably go tattle-tailing on them again, so Harry had been warned.

The policemen ushered them up the steps. Harry noted that Marv's steps were uneven. "Remember, if this makes the papers, we're no longer the Wet Bandits! We're the Sticky Bandits! S-T-uh…." Marv couldn't think of the next letter to spell 'sticky' and Harry begrudgingly helped him out.

"…..I…."

"Oh, right….I….C… K….. I…. E!"

Harry shook his head as Marv spelled the word wrong. The policemen continued to walk them over to their police cars. Two policemen were finishing up putting out the last of the fireworks and getting into their cars. Once they reached one of the police cars, only one of the policemen were dealing with them. "You guys are gonna be in jail a long time" he commented.

It was that moment that his radio went off and he was quick to answer it. "Yeah, what is it, Steven? I'm in the middle of something."

The man on the other end of the radio said, "We've got a situation over here on Bleaker Street. Car pile-up. We need as many men on it as possible. One of the cars just caught fire. Pedestrians are involved. Can you send anyone over on your end?"

The policemen forced Harry and Marv to lean up against the car. "Yeah, I got this wrapped up here at Central Park. I'll send the guys over now."

While the man behind them dealt with his problem and instructed the other policemen, Harry looked up at Marv, noticing that the man's shoulders were shaking. His eyes widened when he realized Marv was crying. "Marv?" he whispered.

Sobbing, Marv whispered back tearfully. "I'm sorry, Harry. I blabbed again. But my head hurts. I can't think straight. I got caught up in the moment—I didn't think telling them what we did would be so bad until it was too late! ….Harry….I don't wanna go back to jail…."

Harry's Lyme's heart broke at the sight as Marv rested his head against the top of the police car, utterly defeated. He watched as Marv's teardrops plopped silently on the top of the car. All anger Harry had felt towards him for blabbing was now entirely gone and now he wanted nothing more than to see that Marv was taken care of. He wanted Marv to be safe and away from the jail life. Jail had been harsh on both of them, but especially to Marv and it was clear the very thought of going back brought the curly haired man to tears.

Harry scowled, a look of resolve covering his features. He refused to see Marv go back to jail. "Don't you worry about a thing, Marv" he spoke softly. Marv turned his head slightly to look down at Harry with a look of confusion, sniffling as he did so. Harry looked back up at him, smiling at his lover so that his gold tooth shone in the moonlight. "Because we're not going back to jail. Not if I have anything to say about it!"

Marv pushed himself up a bit, still watching Harry curiously.

"Alright, boys" said the policemen after having dealt with the problem over the radio. "Looks like it's just you and me." As though to emphasis his point, they could see the other policemen driving away in their cars, their sirens blaring to go help with the car accident.

Neither of them said anything and as the policeman stepped closer, without warning, Harry threw his leg out and tripped the man. "Hey!" shouted the man. Once the policeman was off balance, Harry acted quickly and side-stepped to the other side of him, ramming him as hard as could from behind, causing the man to hit his head on the side of the car and falling to the ground with a grunt. Marv had moved out of the way just in time. Before the policeman could get up and grab his gun, Harry kicked him as hard as he could on the back of the head, knocking him out cold.

"Harry!" cried Marv in shock. "What did you just do?"

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Author's Note: Well, this chapter took forever to write, but I think it was worth it. Yes, a good chunk of this chapter was coming straight out of the movie, but I tried my best to give it my own spin while keeping it canon. I think I succeeded. Yes, there is more to come! Chapter 9 will answer Marv's question and tell us exactly what just happened. I would also like to take a moment and thank Aline Riva for some of her helpful ideas that helped me write this chapter. Please review! -EricaX


	9. Chapter 9

**Finding Sleep**

**Chapter 9**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

**Author's Notes: Now that the movie is over, we are now able to see what happens to Harry and Marv, the Sticky Bandits. **

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"Harry!" cried Marv in shock. "What did you just do?"

Harry sneered down at the unconscious policeman at their feet, half tempted to give him another sharp kid to the side of the head. He looked up at Marv, barely able to see him in the low light of the deserted park. They were both covered in syrupy oil from the fall off the side of the building, but Harry could plainly see, even in the low light, that Marv was covered in far more than he was. Not to mention all the feathers that were now glued to them from the attack of pigeons.

"What does it look like I just did, Marvin? I knocked him out!" he spoke quickly. He glanced around them, trying to think of what they needed to do next. He glanced inside the cop car and saw that the bag was money was sitting in the front seat, ready to go be used as evidence and to be taken to the Children's Hospital. He could also see in plastic bags the photos Kevin had taken of them and what looked like a small cassette tape.

"Are we gonna make a break for it now, Harry?" asked Marv as he steadied himself by placing on hand on the car. Harry considered doing just that, seeing as how at any moment one of the other policemen could wonder where their fellow cop was and come to check on the scene. He looked around them, looking to see if anyone else was around. It was then that the sound of someone communicating with the police officer came through the man's pocket radio.

Harry quickly knelt down and snatched the radio, trying to his best to get a hold of it from all the sticky oil on his fingers. He took down at the radio, listening to the static and voices of other cops communicate. He then dropped it back on the ground and promptly stepped on it, breaking the radio altogether.

"Harry?" asked Marv, his voice soft and questioning.

"Get in the car" stated Harry darkly.

"What?"

"Get. In. the. Car!" ordered Harry. His voice held no anger in it though, just urgency. They had to get away from there as soon as possible. He ignored the fact that he was barely able to open the car door thanks to his now sticky and oily hands.

"But you knocked out the cop! Who will drive?" inquired Marv, clearly not understanding what was happening.

Harry gave him a deadpan expression, the struggle to keep his temper down evident on his features. He took a deep breath before answering, walking to the other side of the car in the process. "'I' will be driving, Marv! Now get in the passenger's seat!"

Marv blinked at him yet said nothing as he watched Harry get into the driver's seat of the police car. Not wishing to be left behind, he quickly opened the passenger door. He too had problems opening the door thanks to his sticky hands.

"Harry, we're a mess!" commented Marv, reluctant to get in.

"I know that, Marv!" groused Harry, slowly losing the battle to contain his temper. "I'm just as a mess as you are—save for the…..is that paint on you?" he looked up at Marv, who still hadn't gotten into the car.

Marv looked down at himself with a frown. "Yeah…stupid kid spilled something slippery on the floor and I crashed into a wall of paint cans after sliding into it….It hurt…"

Harry grimaced. "Well, just get in the car!"

Marv did as he was told, yet he realized too late that he was sitting on the bag of money they had stolen and lightly bumped his head on the ceiling of the car as he reached down to move it.

"Don't hit your head again!" snapped Harry.

"I barely bumped it" replied Marv softly, reaching up and running a hand through his curls. "It didn't hurt. It didn't even make my headache worse." He grabbed the car door and slammed it shut.

"Well, just be careful!"

Marv didn't reply as he brought the bag of money to sit in his lap. Harry turned the key to the car that was still sitting in the ignition. Perhaps their luck was changing after all. It seemed the policeman was not as careful as he should have been tonight. Harry grinned when the car roared to life, yet his smile disappeared as he watched Marv slump down into his seat and rest his head on the seat's headrest. The lanky man's bony knees hit the dashboard since he was so tall and the seat was pulled up. He said nothing though as the car's lights came on and he started driving the car, hitting the gas.

He drove over top of the curve due to where the policeman had parked, though Harry didn't care. He just needed to get them out of there. Since it was almost 1:30 in the morning, hardly anyone was out on the street and he was able to quickly get on the road and start driving.

Opening his eyes, Marv glanced out the window from where was slumped down in his seat and noted how fast Harry was driving. "Man, Harry! Are you tryin' to get a speeding ticket?"

"We're in a police car, Marv!" Harry reminded him. "They won't think nothin' of it! Police speed all the time and nobody even blinks!"

A goofy smile appeared on Marv's tired face. "You should turn on the lights" he chuckled at the very thought. "Turn on the cop lights." Harry snorted in amusement, but with the mood he was in; even Marv's silly little comments couldn't cheer him up. As they drove down the streets, Marv shuffled a bit where he was sitting. "We're getting the seats dirty."

"Consider it revenge for all the times they tried to bust us" replied Harry, his eyes staying on the road. "I honestly don't give a shit about their seats. We're just using this car to get outta dodge and then figure out what we're gonna do next."

It was then that the car radio came to life as someone tried communicating with them. "Stevens! Stevens, come in!" After a moment of silence, the voice continued frantically. "Stevens, where are you? Do you copy?"

"Is Stevens the guy you knocked out?" asked Marv quietly.

" I dunno. Don't care" was Harry's brisk answer.

The two bandits continued listening to the radio. "Stevens! Have you taken those two men into custody yet?" It didn't need to be said that the man on the radio was referring to them. "Stevens!"

The radio went silent as Harry pressed harder on the gas pedal. "We need to get out of here and fast! We need to get far enough away, ditch this car, and find another way of transport."

Marv nodded slightly, running a hand over his greasy and oily forehead.

Harry glanced over at him before turning his attention back to the road, speeding even more so that he could make the light as it turned yellow. "How's your head?"

"Pounding" replied Marv forlornly. "And the smell of the paint isn't helping….."

Harry was forced to stop at the next light since they were now getting into a more traffic. He looked at Marv. "We're gonna go to Brooklyn. It's about an hour's drive. Then we're gonna find a place to wash up. Then we're on the move again, alright?"

"Sounds like a plan, Harry" droned Marv drowsily.

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Harry continued to drive them for about an hour and a half before he managed to find a good place for a rest stop. It was a small, inexpensive motel that Harry finally parked the car at. There were only a few other cars in the parking lot, suggesting that the motel was far from busy. By the time they had stopped it was snowing heavily. It was yet another reason why Harry wished to stop; he hated driving in heavy snow.

They quickly got out of the car, making sure to park farthest away from the motel to attract less attention. Harry was the first to get out of the car and he swiftly made his way over to Marv's side where he helped Marv get out of the car by grabbing his arm and steadying him. Once Marv was out of the way, he quickly snatched the bag of money, the bag of photos, and the bag with the cassette tape.

Afterwards he flashed them up at Marv. "Wanna take all the evidence away so that when they finally DO find this car, they won't have the proof to show that it was us who stole it. In the morning, when it's light out, I'll clean the inside to avoid leaving behind any fingerprints. I'm just hoping our mess will clean up easy. If not, hopefully they won't figure us out that way…"

"Good thinkin' Harry!" beamed Marv, yet his expression seemed strained and Harry knew Marv was exhausted. He was exhausted too, but at least he didn't have a head injury along with it.

The motel was one story tall and therefore was long and horizontal in shape. The building was a light blue and it had pink doors with gold numbers on them. It was a far cry from the Plaza Hotel. In fact, it was the complete opposite. Harry felt a wave of dread in the pit of his stomach; it was heartbreaking to know that they had gone from living the high life after stealing a credit card, to being reduced to staying in a cheap, ratty motel after nearly being caught. But it was the best they got. Harry didn't know the area and he didn't feel like hunting out a decent hotel for the next three hours in the darkness and snow.

'"Follow me" instructed Harry, gripping the bag of money tightly in his hand. He pocketed the cassette and photos. As they walked, Harry felt Marv touch his head. He looked up at him and saw that Marv had plucked a feather from his head and let it fall into the wintery wind. "We're covered in feathers, Harry…"

"You're just now noticing this?"

"No."

Harry gave Marv a worried look. Marv didn't seem to be fully there as he walked alongside him. Taking hold of Marv's hand, he walked a little bit faster. As they walked past all the doors, Harry debated how he wanted to go about doing this. He grinned when he saw an unattended maid's cart inside the windowed lounge area. Stopping, Harry tried opening the door only to find that it was locked.

Letting go of Marv's hand, he reached down into his coat pocket and found the credit card he had been using the last few days. Bringing it out, he started trying to open the door with it.

As Harry struggled to get the door open while trying to make as little noise as possible, Marv stumbled backwards and landed against the wall, using it to keep himself standing. With his eyes shut closed he whispered, "Harry…Harry….Make the world stop spinning…." He took a loud gulp and tried to force himself to get steady.

"I'm working on it, Marv. I'm working on it!" Harry whispered back anxiously. He grumbled as the stubborn door refused to be opened. He was half tempted to just break the glass window beside it, but thought against it in case an alarm was to be set off. He didn't wish to take any chances.

After several more minutes of relentless trying, Harry was finally able to get the door open with a triumphant cry. "Come on Marv!" he picked up the bag before going in, holding the door open for Marv. When Marv didn't immediately walk through the door, Harry came back through and poked his head out to see what was wrong. "Marv?"

"Harry…Make it stop…" moaned Marv. The taller man then cleared his throat and coughed up a small pigeon feather. Harry sighed sadly and gently grabbed Marv by both hands, moving to stand before him. Reaching up a hand to rest on Marv's cheek, he had Marv lean down towards him.

"Come on, Marvin. We're gonna get cleaned up now. Alright?" He pushed aside some of the syrupy substance on Marv's face with his thumb as Marv blinked several times, seeming to become a little more focused.

"Okay, Harry."

Harry nodded and grabbed hold of Marv's hand, leading him through the glass door he had managed to break into. He placed the bag of money in the same hand he was holding Marv's hand and used the other one to grab several small bottles of soap, shampoo, and conditioner from the maid's cart along with a few towels. He made sure not to get the white towels dirty from their attire. With his hands full, Harry walked through the hallways, welcoming the warmth of being inside for the first time in hours. It was bone-chilling cold outside.

Just as Harry was wondering how they were going to manage to get a room without going to the front desk and looking conspicuous, a woman drunkenly opened the door and stepped out of her apartment. In her hand she had a small suitcase. "Come on! M-Move it! We gotta go before the sun –r….rises!" Harry and Marv stopped walking once they saw her; a good distance away that she wouldn't notice them. A moment later, a man walked out carrying two suitcases.

"Laney, you're drunk again. I know we have to leave. You don't have to remind me!" As he stepped out, the door slowly began to close. Since the man was busy keeping track of the drunken woman, he didn't notice Harry slip his foot inside the door; having slunk his way near by staying close to the wall. Once the two were gone, Harry opened the two to their room and ushered Marv inside.

"They're leaving?" asked Marv, looking down the hallway before walking into the room.

"Evidently" shrugged Harry, not truly caring. All he cared about was the fact that they now had a room to stay in. "They had their suitcases and it looks like they left nothing behind either." He scanned the motel room, checking to make sure there would be no reason for them to return. Harry quickly went back to the door and hung the "Do Not Disturb" sign on the outside, shutting it firmly locking it a second later.

He turned back to see Marv about ready to crash on the bed. He caught him before he could do so. "No, no, Marv! We gotta take showers! Get all this nasty shit off us before we even think of sleeping!"

Marv nodded. "I agree, Harry. I feel gross."

"Me too, buddy. Me too…" he guided them into the small bathroom and quickly started undressing. He slid his coat off, feeling the sticky coat practically stick to him. His green scarf was covered in the oily paint thinners and practically ruined. He dropped the scarf and his coat on the floor; feathers flying all around them as they took things off. Marv took off his own jacket and placed it on top of Harry's.

Harry side-stepped Marv and leaned into the shower, turning the hot water on full with a flick of his wrist. "We'll both take a shower. Motels like this don't have hot water for long." He checked the temperature of the water. "We'll wait a few minutes till the water heats up. Then we'll both jump inside."

"Sounds dirty, Harry…." Grinned Marv. It was amazing, the man was suffering from a head injury and those were the types of thoughts going on in his mind. Harry shook his head, amused.

"Oh, yes, Marv. VERY dirty; though probably not in the way you're thinkin'." He changed the subject. "It's gonna take a lotta soap to get this stuff off us. Which is why I stole so many of them." He had placed the bottles of shampoo and soap on the sink counter.

"You stole again?" Marv sounded worried and upset about that.

Harry stopped in mid-motion from taking off his gray shirt. He looked at Marv with wide eyes. "Yeah, I stole it. How else would I have gotten the soap?"

"I dunno. Why didn't we just got to the front desk? Why all the hiding?"

Harry didn't answer right away. He wasn't entirely sure how to answer his question. Marv had a point; they could have simply gone to the front desk and get an actual room instead of stealing one, but he didn't wish to take the risk for he knew they still were not nearly far enough away to be in the clear. The police could very easily find them still at this point. Not only that, but he didn't wish to use the money they had stolen unless he absolutely needed to. Call him selfish, but Harry found himself becoming rather protective of the money, as though he were afraid that McCalister kid would somehow show up again and try ruining things again. Harry quickly came up with an excuse.

"It's the dead of the night. I wasn't sure if anyone would be down there" he lied. "Besides, we couldn't go down there lookin' like this!"

Marv nodded slightly, clearly believing his lie. "Didn't think of that…"

Harry gave a noise of agreement. "I figured you wouldn't." He continued to undress, kicking off his oil sodden shoes. He grunted in disgust when he found his socks mopping wet as well. "Disgusting..."

Marv was taking his shoes off as well as he tried balancing himself with the counter. He raised each foot up and took off his shoes. "What is this stuff?"

"I'm not sure. Probably paint thinners and paint coatings…..Or whatever they're called. I'm not a painter!" he snapped near the end. He didn't know what they had been covered in and he didn't care. All he wanted was to get the stuff off him.

"I was just asking…." Sighed Marv tiredly. He started unzipping his pants and pulling them down. He glanced over at the running water in the shower. "Do you think it's hot yet?"

Harry had just tossed his own pants aside. "Only one way to find out." He reached a hand into the shower and under the falling water. He flinched at the hot water. "Yeah! It's hot!"

Marv nodded. "Good. I just want a hot bath and to get all this paint out of my hair." He tried running a hand through his curls yet his hair was so still from all the paints, thinners, and oils that his fingers wouldn't run through them. Not to mention his curls were practically fried thanks to the electricity that Kevin had sent through him. His hair was stiff and dried to the point that it wouldn't move. "Stupid kid better not have ruined my hair!"

Harry glanced up, knowing fully well how important the taller man's hair was to him and felt a twang of pity. "Don't worry Marv. I don't care if we have to use one hundred bottles of shampoo and wash your hair out for days on end, we'll get it back to how it was."

Marv grimaced. "I sure hope it doesn't take that long!"

Harry shook his head and focused on getting undressed. He pulled off his undershirt, adding it to the growing pile of filthy clothes. The last thing he took off was his hat, for he knew that would be painful and had to be done slowly due to the burns that were once again on his head. Marv watched as he did this.

"Harry, did you get your head burned again?" Marv inquired after realizing the scorch marks on Harry's head.

"Yeah, the damn kid burned me again!" he growled. He winced as he started pulling off his once woolen hat. Now it was more like a ring of fabric glued to his head with a large gaping hole in the center. After the hat was off he tossed it in the trash can in the corner of the bathroom.

"That would explain why your face is covered in….smoke?" Marv added a question at the end of his statement.

"Yeah, it's smoke. I walked into the bathroom, thinking the place was safe. I checked the sides of the door, but when I went to turn on the light, there musta been a blowtorch behind me, cause next thing I knew, my head was on fire! The faucets didn't work, so I turned to the toilet. Damn piece of shit filled the toilet with kerosene!"

Marv's eyes widened in shock. "Harry, that kid couldn't have killed us numerous times tonight! He's like a freakin' murderer!"

"Believe me, Marv, I'm aware of this!" He then took off his underwear and hopped into the shower, after grabbing the bottles of soap, shampoo, and conditioner. Marv joined him a minute later.

The two bandits didn't waste any time starting to scrub off their skin after each getting some shampoo on the white hand towels provided for them. Neither of them even blinked over the fact they were nude together in the shower. It was nothing new and neither of them was even close to being in the mood for anything other than washing up.

Marv, of course, having been covered in more substances than Harry, had a tougher time cleaning himself off. After being on his skin for so long, the paint had begun to stain slightly and no matter how hard he scrubbed, the colorful stains refused to be removed from his skin.

Steam began to fill the small bathroom from the heat of the water and the longer the two of them were in there cleaning, the more drowsy Marv began. His head was still pounding painfully, but his balance seemed to be better than it had been before they had gotten into the room. Every other ache and pain in his body seemed to go numb as all the pain in his head took over. Tentatively, Marv reached up and gently rubbed the area on the back of his head where he knew the bump was. It was still sensitive to the touch and nearly made him black out when he touched it, but he quickly removed his hand and the blinding pain subsided.

The water at their feet was a rusty orange from all the oils and paints as they continued to cover themselves in soap. Harry was sure to clean Marv's back while Marv did the same thing for Harry. It had taken them a good half hour or so before they were able to clean themselves off. By this time the only thing that Marv hadn't managed to clean was his hair. He looked up as a stray curl fell into his face due to the water gave a small pout. "Harry….you'll have to help me with my hair."

Harry nodded. "I will. Let's dry off first. We'll do your hair separately." He moved aside the shower curtain and reached for two towels and wiped his face off, loving how it was no longer covered in smoke and grease. He stepped out of the shower and started drying himself off; Marv doing the same thing next to him.

The two bandits felt like new men coming out of the shower after having been covered in gross clothes for so long. Yet there was still one more problem they would have to deal with. Their clothes were still filthy and paint covered. After wrapping the towel around his waist, Harry began sorting through the clothes, deciphering which ones were still clean enough to wear until they could get new clothes. It turned out that their heavy winter coats and pants had sustained most of the damage and their underclothes and shirts were still clean enough to wear for then time being.

"We'll have to go someplace and buy some new clothes" stated Harry, throwing away their socks altogether. There was no salvaging them.

Marv was about to nod when a wave of nausea and dizziness overcame as he stumbled back a few steps, grabbing the wall and being forced to sit down on the tiled floor. He panted slightly in his pain; his head feeling like it was splitting in two. He grunted and winced. "Harry….."

Harry glanced over as saw that his lover was now currently curled up on the floor, clutching his head in pain, in nothing but a towel. He watched in horror as Marv sat there in pain and agony. "Marv?" he whispered sorrowfully. He stepped over to Marv and knelt over to look into his face. Marv didn't reply for several long minutes, making Harry all the more anxious and worried. Marv just stayed as he was, his eyes shut tightly in pain, his mouth drawn into a deep, pained frown. "Marv?"

Marv finally opened his eyes, much to Harry's relief, and looked up. "Harry…..something is wrong….My head…shouldn't be hurting this badly. It feels like its splitting in two. I've had my share of headaches, Harry, but nothing like this. I don't think it's normal…." He practically wailed.

Harry placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to be as comforting as he could be. "It's alright, Marvin. We'll get ya looked over. But first we gotta wash your hair and finish cleaning up. Then we gotta find ourselves some better clothes and then we'll go to the ER."

Instead of nodding, Marv gave out a small squeak, "Okay."

Harry coaxed off the floor and helped him back into his underwear and the undershirts that were still wearable. Neither of them had their pants on yet for Harry was still unsure of what to do with them. Their pants were soaked with oil and pants and he refused to put them back on. He would have to wash them somehow before they left. He guided Marv on his knees once they were half dressed he coaxed him to lean over the shower and underneath the water where Harry immediately grabbed the bottles of shampoo and started coating Marv's hair in it. Marv's hair was stiff and hard to move, but after some light force, Harry was able to dig his fingers past the coat of paint and start breaking the curls apart. Every now and then Marv would whimper after Harry touched a sensitive part of his head, but Harry made sure to be as gentle as possible.

Marv's hair was thick and so it took a while for Harry to get it to the point where it was broken up and looked somewhat like hair again. It took a whole bottle of shampoo to do this and then another one to get the paint dyes and cement powder out of it. It didn't help that once the cement powder got wet it turned into gray sloppy goo. Halfway through the ordeal was when Harry noticed Marv was crying.

"Hey, what's wrong? I'm not hurtin' ya am I?"

Marv didn't reply right away, but when he did, Harry didn't like the answer. "Yes…..please….be more gentle around the back of my head."

Harry's fingers flinched back at his response and wave of guilt and forgiveness overcame him. "Oh, geez, I'm sorry, Marvin!" He truly did sound sorry too. Being even more careful he continued to run the shampoo through his friend's hair. He debated whether or not to go ahead and put some conditioner in it, for he knew Marv usually did when he washed it himself, but he decided against it. Marv was already in pain; he didn't want to drag it out. "I think I got it all out. Your hair isn't white anymore and it's not stiff anymore either."

"Okay….thanks…" winced Marv as he sat up. He ran a hand through his curls. "They'll be okay?"

"What will?"

"My curls."

Harry gave him a flabbergasted look. "We just escaped from being taken to jail, busted into a hotel room, and you have a head injury…..and you're worried about your stupid curls?"

Marv shrugged as he dried his hair with a towel. "Well, yeah..."

"Marv, forget about your hair! We got it clean, that's all that matters. We have more important things to worry about. Like how we're going to clean our pants and get all the shit off them. Then we have to worry about how to get ourselves some new coats since ours were ruined by that bundle of misery! I'm not freezin' my ass out there without a coat!" explained Harry as he gathered up their ruined clothes and figured out where to put them for the time being.

"Then…." Marv paused as though he was nervous to bring it up. He touched the back of his head.

"What, Marv?"

"Then can we…..go to the hospital? I really think something is wrong…." Sighed Marv, referring to his head.

"Of course we're going to the hospital! I would have taken you there straight away had we not been covered in shit! I'm worried about you, Marv! I was hopin' we wouldn't have to, but you seem to be getting worse! We have to now!"

"…..Arizona?"

Harry gave a huff of annoyance. "What have I told you about Arizona?"

"I know, but this time we're not going somewhere far away, just someplace close to hide out from the cops!" argued the taller bandit.

Harry rolled his eyes, not having the energy to argue and remind Marv that Arizona was clear on the other side of the United States. "Alright, listen. I'm gonna start tryin' to get these pants clean. Why don't you go in and lay down on the bed for a while, eh? Take a load off for a bit. Once I get these pants clean we'll head to the hospital."

"We're not staying here till morning?" yawned Marv as he made his way over to the bed, staggering as he did so. The world was starting to spin again.

"Not after seeing you nearly collapse! We need to get you to a doctor!" clarified Harry. Harry was walking back into the bathroom when he heard a thump and the sound of Marv groaning in pain. "Marv?"

Marv was on his knees on the other side of the bed, using the bed to try to steady himself. He pressed his forehead on the soft material of the mattress. "Harry….Make the world stop spinning…"

Harry Lyme was generally not the type of person to panic. Sure, he had his moments, such as earlier that night when he saw that his head was on fire through the mirror, yet other than that; Harry Lyme was not a man who panicked. Yet seeing Marv in such a weakened state and not knowing how to help him, he was starting to panic. He glanced down at the two pairs of pants in his arms and debated whether or not to waste time on them. They were soaked in oils and paints and neither of them would be able to walk through those hospital doors without raising a few eyebrows.

He looked back to Marv. "Marvin, just stay where you are! Lay on the floor if you can't make it up to the bed. I'll be right back!"

Harry didn't waste any time. He threw Marv's pants in the waste basket and began putting on his own pants. He cringed as the cold pants and slightly dried oils and pants touched his skin, but he knew he had no other choice. He went over to where Marv left the bag of money on the table and hit in under the bed. He grabbed the keys to the police car and went to the door. Since he didn't have the key to the hotel room, he stuck the "Do Not Disturb" sign through the door so that he door shut but didn't lock. The sign was keeping it from locking properly. He didn't want to risk the chance of Marv not being able to get to the door.

The frigid cold air went right through his gray long sleeved shirt, but his coat was not an option. He would rather freeze than put that back on. He quickly got into the car and turned the heat on.

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He hated leaving Marv in a time like this; but Harry had no other choice. He had to find a place where he could get some pants. He knew there would be no place open and therefore guessed he would have to break in. He hated doing that too since they were already in deep trouble as it was, but he could not fathom any other choice.

He drove through the darkened streets, looking everywhere for a place that would be open when his eyes landed on a Discount Drugmart store that was open 24/7. Beaming at his luck, Harry quickly parked the car in the parking lot and walked inside. Surprisingly there were a few people inside the store save for the workers. He just hoped they had something they could wear. He searched every aisle, impressed at the selection the store had. The store was slightly run-down and was in need of repair; but he wasn't about to judge.

Shivering from the lack of coat, he walked quicker and looked down every aisle. Near the back of the store where they sold perfume, make-up, and hair products, Harry was able to spot some racks of inexpensive pants. Next to it was a rack of coats. He frowned when he noticed the coats were a cheap material and a far cry from the nice woolen coat he had been wearing the last few days. In any other situation, Harry would never even consider buying such a coat, but he had no time to be picky.

He looked through the racks of jeans first, grateful for the fact that he knew Marv's size. He found a pair for Marv and started searching for himself. Once he did so, he started looking through the coats. He hated the looks of them, but they would have to do.

Holding the coats and jeans in his arms, Harry looked around him, taking note of the cameras around him. He hadn't brought any money with him for he had assumed he would have to steal anyways. He reached into his pants pocket and found some sticky twenty dollar bills he must have stuffed into them before Kevin had busted them. The money was in bad shape but he didn't care. Money was money.

As he walked to the cash register he found some packets of socks and grabbed one of them. He reached the registers and walked to one that was open. The cashier was an older heavy set woman with dark hair tied up in a tight bun. She gave him a bored expression.

Harry scowled at her. "Stop starin' at me and scan them through." He snapped.

She grabbed the pants and scanned the, then the coats, then the socks. After ringing everything up, she said, "It comes to eighty seven dollars and seventy two cents."

Harry pulled out the sticky money and noted that he only had forty dollars. He glanced up at her, noting that she was looking away. He slowly grabbed the two bags with their clothes in it, stuffed the money back into his pocket and made a break for it. He ran to the doors, hearing her shout at him, "Hey! Come back here!"

He ran, knowing that someone would come after him. There had been another cashier, an older man, who was working and possibly a few others that he had not seen. He quickly got into the police car, hoping they wouldn't suspect him to be inside it.

Much to Harry's amusement, the woman and the older man did come out of the store and they did see the police car, but thanks to the darkness, they couldn't see who was in it. Then dread filled him as he realized they were running straight for him. Harry's plan backfired as he realized they were expecting him to be a policeman and chase after the criminal. Noting this, Harry quickly started the car and put it in reverse; getting out of the parking lot before they could make it to him.

Harry Lyme had committed a crime once again.

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Marv opened his eyes at the sound of the door opening. He was lying on the bed, his head up against the hard lumpy pillows. How he missed the big fluffy red pillows from the Plaza Hotel. He felt as though all the energy had been taken from his body as he lay on his stomach; laying on his back not an option since it would mean lying on the bump on his head. He was wearing his long sleeved white shirt and orange vest and nothing more.

"Harry?" he croaked, his throat feeling dry.

"I'm here. And I managed to get us some pants and coats" he informed Marv as he started taking them out of the large bags after shutting the door behind him.

Marv didn't bother asking how Harry had gotten them, his head hurting him too much to care. He felt the bed shift as Harry crawled onto it with his knees and leaned over Marv. "How are ya feelin'?" He ran a gentle hand through Marv's curls.

"I can't sleep. My head is pounding too much. But that's the only thing I WANT to do right now!"

Harry nodded understandingly. "Well, either way we have to go now. Come on, get up! Get dressed and we'll go to the hospital and figure out what's wrong with ya." Marv didn't budge. "Come on, love. Get up!"

Marv closed his eyes, his face contorted in pain. "Make it stop hurting, Harry…"

"I'm tryin', Marv! But you have to work with me here! I can't bring the doctor to us! We have to go to the doctor! Now, move it! The pain will only get worse if you don't move it!" he grabbed hold of Marv's arm and tugged lightly. Marv groaned yet slowly started to get up.

He got to the edge of the bed and sat up, where Harry brought over his pants and helped him into them. Marv didn't even bother asking if they were the right size; he figured Harry had gotten the right ones. Marv was never one to question Harry and his ideas.

"You got us socks, too?" slurred Marv as he looked down at the socks. Harry noted that Marv's eyes seemed to be out of focus, which made him all the more nervous. His pupils seemed off, as though one of them had exploded. One was large while the other was small. Harry had heard something about that once. It happened whenever someone had suffered from head trauma. He felt his heart sink down into his stomach as his panic began to rise again. This simply proved more that they had to get the hospital as soon as possible.

"Marv? Look at me" he instructed the other bandit.

Marv looked up yet his eyes were not directly on Harry; they were about an inch or so off; he was staring at the left side of his head instead. Harry grimaced at this. "You ready to go?"

Marv had learned earlier that nodding his head made the world spin worse and therefore verbally answered, "Yeah…"

Harry, having gotten dressed himself, helped Marv up, holding onto his hand rightly, and guided Marv over to the door. He grabbed the back of money and made one final check to make sure they hadn't forgotten anything. Just as Harry was about to open the door, he remembered the gun that had been hidden inside his coat pocket. When the pigeons had started attacking them, he had placed the gun back into his pocket before trying to shoo them away. He left Marv at the door and quickly went into the bathroom where he had left their coats in the trash. If he hadn't had Marv to worry about he would have liked to have burned the coats in case they were found by the police. Yet he knew he was just being overly cautious. The police had no reason in believing they were here, an hour away from the scene of the crime in a random motel. They had left no trail behind.

He grabbed the gun from his pocket and headed for the door; grabbing Marv's hand and guiding him along.

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It had been simple enough to find the hospital and before either of them knew it they were walking inside the ER. Their coats kept them warm from the cold and their pants felt much better compared to the ones they had had previously. However, due to his height, Marv's jeans did come up a little too high and showed his ankles, yet Marv usually had that problem and made no comment of it.

Walking into the ER, Harry walked right up to the front desk and waited impatiently for the woman behind it to help him. Marv stood right beside him, gripping the counter to keep his balance.

The woman was middle aged and had a pixie blonde hair cut. She looked up at them behind her glasses, wearing a mint green shirt and dress pants. "May I help you?"

"Yes, my friend here had an accident" Harry told her.

"Hmm! Many accidents!" piped up Marv, his persona almost coming off as drunk. "Involving cement powder!"

"Shhh!" hissed Harry.

"What kind of accident? Are you bleeding? Broken bone-" she began asking questions yet Harry interrupted her.

"Head injury. He fell on some ice."

"Nuh uh. Pearls. From a necklace" squeaked Marv.

Harry sighed. "Excuse him. He's in a lot of pain."

"Has he taken anything for his headaches?" was the woman's next question.

"No. We weren't sure if that would help."

"Harry didn't want to spend the money on meds…"

Harry glared up at Marv. Frankly, the thought of giving him anything had not honestly gone through Harry's head. He now wanted to kick himself for not thinking about giving Marv something for the pain. They had just had so many others things on their minds: criminal things. While Harry was busy plotting how to rob a toy store, Marv had been hurting deeply and getting worse by the hour.

"When did he fall?" asked the woman, jotting down some notes.

"Earlier this afternoon" he told her.

"Alright, he'll probably have to have some x-rays taken. Is there any visible injury?" was the next question she asked.

Harry nodded. "Yes, there is a nasty bump on the back of his head."

"Well, we'll figure out what's wrong with him. If you would just step through those doors to your right, we'll have you come in and we'll have one of the doctors take a look at him." She pressed a button that was hidden by the counter and they both heard a buzzing sound. The metal door to the right slowly opened and Harry guided Marv through it.

The woman moved her chair and sat down at another desk that was beyond the doors. "Just real quick, we'll need you to fill out some paperwork. What is the patient's name?"

"Marvin Rinehart" answered Harry snippily.

"Harry….." moaned Marv as he stumbled a bit.

"He can sit down" the woman told him. Marv quickly sat down in a chair that was sitting before them. "What is your name?"

"Harold Murphy."

"Now, are you related to Marvin?"

"No."

"Then how do you know this man?"

Harry hesitated a moment before answering. "We're…..we're partners."

"Are you married?"

"No."

"And under who's name should the bill be under?"

"Mine."

"What is your current address?"

Harry hesitated once more for an answer. At the current moment they didn't have an address. He then thought of their old home in Chicago. "We're from out of town. We're from Chicago. 536 Schneider Road." He had lied; he couldn't remember their old address. He had made that up, but was sure to remember it in case he was asked again to clarify.

"And your phone number?"

"339-343-8658." Another lie; they hadn't had a phone at their old place.

"Alright, sir, if the two of you would just go through that door and down the hall to the second door on the left and make yourselves comfortable. There will be someone in to see you shortly."

Harry grabbed hold of Marv's arm and helped him up. "Thank you." He led Marv to the door she had spoken of and got him inside. In the room was a hospital chair where one could sit or lay down on while waiting. Harry hadn't been in one of these rooms in years, not even the year before when he had all those injuries. The jail doctor had been in to see them that time.

"Harry? Where are we?" whispered Marv once he was sitting down again. The taller man tugged on the sleeves of his new brown coat and shivered a bit.

Harry frowned at the fact that Marv seemed so out of it. "We're at the hospital, Marv."

"Oh, good."

The two of them sat there in silence for what seemed like eternity. There was a small chair next to the door that Harry sat down in, his feet killing him. The day's events were starting to catch up with him. It was now going on three-thirty in the morning. He doubted he would be able to get any sleep anytime soon; at least not until he knew what was wrong with his Marvin. He watched Marv sitting there on the hospital bed/chair and noticed how pained his expression was. Marv's eyes were not focused in the least; it was as though he was drunk, yet he knew that wasn't true.

Marv swayed a bit as he sat there, practically oblivious to the world. His head had gotten increasingly worse over the last few hours and Harry suspected it was from all the bumps on the head he had received while in Kevin's apartment of horrors. He growled lowly at the thought of that kid and how he had gotten away yet again. It seemed every time they were about to pulverize someone came running to his rescue. It infuriated Harry to no end that they had failed yet again to kill off the little miscreant.

The sound of someone opening the door to their room broke through Harry's thoughts. He looked up to see a young man walk in dressed in white and carrying a clipboard. "Hello!" the doctor greeted politely.

"Hey" greeted Harry half-heartedly. Marv simply turned to the doctor and gave him a faded smile.

"So, I am to understand you have a head injury?" He had asked this question to Marv, but upon seeing his disconnected expression, he looked to Harry.

"Yeah, he fell on some ice. He has a nasty bump on the back of his head. He's been complaining about his head hurting all day. And later this evening he was getting dizzy and now his eyes are all out of focus. He couldn't even fall asleep" Harry explained to him.

The doctor nodded. "I see. Well, my name is Dr. Orellana. I will be seeing to it we get your friend here some help." He pressed the clipboard against his chest. "Now, the best way would be to simply have some x-rays taken. We'll have to run some scans and see if there is any swelling. It's possible he may have fractured his skull. This often can cause swelling in the brain, which can be tremendously painful." He leaned forward and looked Marv in the eyes. He quickly pulled out a small flashlight from his breast pocket. He flashed the light into Marv's eyes, who flinched at the brightness and winced, looking away. "I can also see that one his pupils have exploded, which is often a sign of brain damage. I think the sooner we get a look at his scans, the sooner we can figure out what is wrong." He looked down at Harry.

At the words 'brain damage', Harry's entire body had frozen. He could feel his emotions wanting to burst out from him. Brain damage? He had never even considered anything to that magnitude. He figured it was serious and he knew this was probably the case, yet it wasn't until the doctor had spoken those words did it truly sink in.

"Alright, let's get some x-rays then" he heard himself say, yet his mind felt numb. The doctor was talking again yet he couldn't get himself to pay attention to what he was saying, instead just watched as Dr. Orellana grabbed hold of Marv's hand and helped him up, guiding him out the door and over to where he would be having his x-rays taken.

Harry sat there in his chair, his mind wheeling. Technically, had Harry not been so greedy and hardcore for crime and breaking the law, both he and Marv could have gotten out of that semi-truck full of fish and considered it a chance for a new life; a new chance. Technically, Harry and Marv could have managed to find proper jobs and could have been searching for an apartment to share together, possibly staying at a hotel for a night or two while they did so. Technically, all of this could have been avoided had Harry not filled Marv's head with thoughts like stealing, law breaking, and other unlawful actions and not convinced him it was their only option. Technically, he could have saved Marv the pain he was suffering right now.

Brain damage.

Harry simply couldn't wrap his mind around it. He felt his shoulders begin to shake as he let out a dry sob. This was all his fault.

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Author's Note: Finally got chapter 9 up! I decided this chapter was going to be about them recuperating a bit before rushing off the hospital. I mean, they were disgusting. They couldn't just walk in a hospital looking like that! It would have raised way too many questions. Brain damage. Yep, I went there. Review and let me know what you all think! -EricaX


	10. Chapter 10

**Finding Sleep **

**Chapter 10**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing save for Dr. Orellana and Miss Corra. They belong to me. **

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Harry was not sure how long he had been sitting in the chair in the little white room. He had yet to move from his spot on the chair after Dr. Orellana had taken Marv into the other room to get some x-rays taken. He was still too busy trying to come to terms with what had just taken place and the revelation that Marv could very easily have brain damage.

Harry Lyme was not the type of person to be emotional; he was not the type of person to show his emotions very much. Therefore, if anyone he knew were to look at him at this moment, they would not recognize him. His shoulders were still shaking as he was forcing down some dry sobs, trying his hardest to get his mind under control.

He took in a deep breath, staring straight ahead of himself as the last of the sobs faded away. He took a finger and dried his eyes, surprised by the few tears that were there. He couldn't remember the last time he had cried. He ran his hands over his lap in an anxious gesture, smoothing out his black inexpensive pants in the process.

Here they were; in a city they have never been before, with no place to stay, no place to sleep, no place to call home. Marv and him were currently living on the edge; on the run from the cops after having stolen the Children's Hospital Donations. They weren't even in their own clothing anymore. The clothes they had been wearing before had been clothes they had found at the jail where new inmates gave up their worldly possessions before serving their sentence. If there was a time to stress out; now was that time.

Yet Harry kept it together the best he could as he finally managed to calm himself down enough to get up and figure out where Dr. Orellana had taken Marv. He poked his head out into the hallway and looked both ways, a part of him still half expecting to be caught in some trap by the McCalister boy. He shook off the feeling and took a few steps out, reading the signs. He wished he had gotten up and followed Dr. Orellana when he had the chance, but he had been too wrapped up in his own thoughts to do so.

A moment later a nurse came by and could tell that he looked lost. She walked up to him.

She titled her head down to one side, a smile on her lips. "Hello, sir? Are you here with someone?"

Harry looked her over before answer. She was a middle aged nurse wearing a brightly colored nurse's outfit with little kittens on it. She had short curly blonde hair. He licked his dry lips. "Yeah….Um….I'm here with my friend. He was just taken by Doctor….Orlan?" he couldn't remember what the doctor had said his name was.

"Dr. Orellana?" suggested the woman.

Harry nodded with a small smile. "Yeah. Him. He took my friend to go have x-rays. I would have followed but….I was in a bit of shock…"

The blonde nurse nodded understandingly. "You're with Mr. Rinehart?"

Harry opened his mouth to say, "no" but remembered that that had been what Harry said Marv's last name was and quickly recovered. "Yeah. I'm with Marv."

"Actually, Dr. Orellana just took him back to get his x-rays. He will be back in a few minutes. The x-rays won't take long at all. In the meantime, why don't you go sit out in the lobby?"

Harry frowned. He knew exactly what would happen if he went out into that lobby; he would be stuck in that lobby for hours without anyone telling him what was going on. It would be hours before someone finally came to get him to and take him to Marv; and that probably wouldn't happen until after he pestered them long enough. He shook his head. "No, I would really rather stay with Marv, if that's alright with you. I want to be with Marvin."

The nurse nodded. "I understand that sir, but he's already in the other room having his x-rays taken." She paused and looked at how frustrated and tired Harry looked. "How about this, you go out into the lobby while the x-rays are being taken and when they're done I'll come and get you."

Harry raised an eyebrow at her, looking skeptical. "Something will probably come up and you won't be able to come get me." He knew he sounded cynical, but he was too tired to care. He only wished to be with Marv.

The nurse gave him a sad smile. "I promise you, sir. I'll come and get you."

Harry closed his eyes and shook his head. "Fine, I really don't feel like arguin' with ya." He caved at last. The nurse smiled at him brightly and showed him the way back into the lobby. She took him back through the thick heavy metal door they had walked in through earlier and showed him the area he could sit at.

The lobby was a decent size, since it was a fairly sized hospital to begin with. The lobby was empty save for a woman and her young son, who were both curled up and sleeping in a chair near the window. He slumped into one the chairs closest to the heavy metal doors and the nurse smiled down at him. He just looked up at her with a glum expression. "I promise you, I'll come and get you."

Harry shrugged and sunk further into his seat. She left without another word.

Harry was far too exhausted to put up any more of a fight than he already had. He was still feeling the aches and pains from the traps the boy had set on them. Not to mention the sensitive and burned skin on his head. He had been surprised when he had taken a shower earlier and he had not been in much pain. Perhaps since his head had already been burned once, the pain was not as severe. He didn't know; nor did he care. He could live with burns; it was the unknown he couldn't live with. He hated not being with Marv and not knowing what was going on.

Harry crossed his arms, glaring out at the world around him. He didn't care how threatening he looked to those around him; he was in a foul mood and all he wanted to do was be near Marv and to sleep. Yet he knew he would never be able to sleep without Marv; nor without knowing what was wrong with him.

Harry didn't know how long he had been sitting out there before several nurses came out from one of the many doors that led out into the lobby; all of them laughing and talking. None of them were the blonde nurse who he had spoken to earlier, which just put him in a fouler mood. She had said the x-rays wouldn't take long, so why was he still waiting?

He couldn't help but listen to what the women were saying.

"Well, hey, at least you get to go home now, Sharon!" said one of the woman. She was short and petite and had shoulder length brown hair. She poked at another woman's arm playfully.

The woman he assumed to be Sharon shrugged sheepishly, her long red hair flowing down her back as it was held back in a ponytail. "Yeah, yeah. But I'll be working New Year's! So, I'll know how you feel then!"

"Still though, "spoke up another nurse. "Then is later. Now is now! Now get out of here! Go abandon us who still have to work!" The woman's words were light and teasing, proving she wasn't actually upset. Sharon laughed as she turned to leave, waving at the other nurses who were slowly retreating back to the back rooms.

They all started saying goodbyes to each other. It was then that Harry heard the women say the two words that made his whole body freeze and tense.

"Merry Christmas!"

Those two simple words made the wave of emotions come hurtling back at Harry instantly. In all the commotion between trying to chase Kevin and surviving his apartment of traps, to dodging the police, and trying to find new clothes to wear and where to wash up at, harry had completely forgotten what day it was.

It was Christmas Day.

Harry shook a little as another surge of dry sobs overtook him. It wasn't the fact that it was Christmas alone that bothered him. It was the fact that it was Christmas day and here they were in the hospital; one of them currently fighting for the life. Instead of being in a warm safe bed with the man he loved, he was sitting in an uncomfortable chair waiting to hear news on his condition. He wanted to wish Marv a Merry Christmas. He wanted to hold him close and never let go.

A few tears pricked at his eyes as he sat there. He quickly wiped them away. He then felt a hand on his shoulder and he flinched, looking up at the touch. His gray-ish blue eyes landed on the nurse who he had spoken to earlier. She jumped a bit herself when he flinched. She placed a hand over her chest. "Oh! I'm sorry I frightened you sir! But your friend is done with the x-rays."

"Oh! Great!" Harry quickly stood up, wiping the last of his tears away. The nurse put a hand up to stop him though. He looked up at her accusingly. "I thought you said I could see him!"

"You can! But first I need to tell you something" she informed him patiently. He just glared at her. "Your friend had his x-rays just fine, but when we went to take him back to the room he nearly collapsed. He became incredibly dizzy and fell to the floor. He had to be placed on a stretcher for he eventually passed out." Harry's eyes were now wide with horror and concern. Yet before he could open his mouth, she continued. She raised a hand to stop him from speaking. "He's stable now. He's awake. I only wished to tell you because he has been taken to a different room. We've placed him in his own private room for the time being. They debated whether or not to place in the ICU, yet for now they won't put him in there until after the surgery, which should take place here shortly."

"Can I see him?" Harry croaked out, still worked up.

The nurse nodded. "Yes, of course. That's why I came to get you." She gave him a sweet smile. "I promised, didn't I?" Harry nodded and quickly followed her as she turned and walked back through the heavy metal door, this time not needing to wait for the woman at the desk to let them through. As they walked, she turned and said, "And you may call my Miss Corra."

Harry nodded faintly, his mind to focus on seeing Marv. He could just picture tall, lanky, not-so-bright Marv sitting in one of the hospital beds and the very thought made his heart stop. He just wanted to be near Marv again. He wanted to be there by his side, so that he could reassure him, and himself, that everything was okay. Run his hands through his long thick curls and wish him a Merry Christmas and tell him that everything would be alright in the morning. The doctors would figure out what was wrong with his head and they would be able to both walk away from all this without looking back.

Harry continued to follow Miss Corra, glancing by all the other rooms they went past. He glanced inside them, seeing other patients asleep in their beds. He certainly wished he could sleep; he was dead tired.

A low buzzing sound could suddenly be heard as they stepped closer to Marv's room. Miss Corra turned back to look at Harry. "This is his room. Room 1674." She pointed to the label next to the door. Harry nodded, already having engrained that number into his head for future reference.

The buzzing noise suddenly stopped just before they walked into the room. Harry tried walking past Miss Corra, yet someone was coming out of the room before them and he was stopped in mid step. "Hello, Dr. Orellana. I was just bringing Mr. Rinehart's friend in to see him."

Dr. Orellana looked over at Harry and smiled at him. "Hello. It's good to see you again. Marv has had his x-rays taken."

"How do they look?" demanded the shorter man nervously. "I mean, is he alright?"

Dr. Orellana's smile vanished. "Well, what can be seen in the x-rays is that Marv has a skull fracture on the back of his head. The fracture in itself is minor; however, there is a part of the bone structure that is now pressing into the outer tissues of his brain." He paused at Harry's mystified expression. "I'm trying to explain this in the simplest terms, sir. Now, because of this pressure on the tissues, there has been some swelling. The brain is a very fragile piece of the human body. Even today we don't fully understand how it works."

Harry felt his stomach plummet, the feeling of dread and denial coming over him again. "So….this…swelling….What does it mean? How—How is it affectin' Marv?"

"When the brain swells, it can cause enormous amounts of damage" Dr. Orellana continued.

There was that word again: Damage.

Harry closed his eyes, trying to keep his temper from flaring up. He just wanted to know what the Hell was wrong with his Marvin!

"Damage…." He nodded, his lips formed into a straight line. "Damage. Why-Why do I keep hearing that word? What KIND of damage?"

"It's hard to say at this point. Everyone is affected differently in these cases. It could mean memory loss, loss of hearing, loss of sight, loss of speech. The possibilities are endless. He may never fully recover from this. But do not despair; there is a way for us to help him. He will have to have surgery in order to fix this before the swelling gets any worse and more permanent damage is made."

"Permanent? Surgery?" whispered Harry, his face going pale.

Dr. Orellana nodded. "Yes. Now, Marv has already been prepped for the surgery. He will be going into surgery as soon as an operating room is available. There was a terrible car crash in New York city, if you haven't heard. Several people had to air lifted from the scene. But do not worry; the swelling is not worsening quickly, so there is time. Otherwise we would operate immediately. Plus, he has been asking for you" The tall dark haired doctor added the last bit on a much softer note. "We figured you would want to see him before his surgery. I'll be back in a short while to take him to surgery."

Without another word, Dr. Orellana moved out from the doorway, where Harry immediately pushed through, and his eyes only for Marv.

The room was dimly lit, only a small lamp in the corner of the room for a source of light. Yet Harry wasn't concerned about the lighting, he was concerned about the man sitting in the bed in the middle of the small private hospital room.

Marv was sitting up against fluffy white pillows, now fully out of his clothes and wearing a light green and white hospital gown. He was staring off into space as he ran his hands through his curls.

Or at least where his curls used to be.

Harry stepped quickly over to the bed. "Marv!" he stopped just before the bed, noting that Marv's eyes were red and puffy.

Marv blinked and looked up at Harry, finally putting his arms down and setting them in his lap. "Harry!" The younger man was quick to grab onto Harry's hand. "My hair! It's gone! They took away my hair!" His voice cracked a bit and the older man could tell Marv was trying his hardest not to cry again. It was true though; the doctors had shaved away his hair, leaving only a small amount of it left. "You just missed it! They just swept away all my hair that fell to the floor! I begged and begged for them not to do it! But they said they had to for the surgery! Harry! I have to have surgery! They have to open my head and take my brain out!"

Harry blinked at Marv's words. Only Marv would say a crazy thing like that. He sighed. "Marv, they're not takin' your brain out!"

"Then what the Hell are they doing? And why'd they have to shave off all my hair! I liked my hair!" ranted Marv anxiously.

Harry closed his eyes, trying to push back his own emotions and remember that he had to be there for Marv. He had to support him now, because he was all the support Marv had.

"Marv….I'm sorry to hear about your hair. But it'll grow back. Besides, they had to do it. And they're not takin' out your brain. They're just going to open you up in the back of the head and reduce the swelling. They have to set the bone back in place. When you got that bump, it cracked your skull and they have to go in and fix it, because otherwise it'll continue to press on your brain and you'll die."

Marv stopped running his hands over his head at Harry's words, turning a ghostly pale. "Die? I could die?"

"You're not going to die!" spat Harry harshly and determinedly. Marv flinched at his tone, staring at him with wide eyes. Harry took in a deep breath and calmed himself down. "Sorry. But you are NOT going to die. I'm sure of it." He then leaned over the side of the bed and kissed Marv on the cheek.

A hint of color came to Marv's pale cheeks. "Thanks, Harry. You're right. I've just been a little freaked out lately…"

Harry nodded. He could tell that Marv seemed a little more awake and aware of what was going on. He wondered if the doctor had given anything to have caused Marv's sudden awareness. He looked into Marv's chocolate eyes and could see that his one eye was still badly exploded. He couldn't imagine how terrified Marv had to be. He was surprised Marv wasn't in tears, though he could tell Marv had been crying at one point thanks to his eyes; more than likely when they were shaving off his hair.

Marv's voice brought Harry out of his musings. "Feel my head! But don't touch the back of it! That part hurts! But touch my head!" He grabbed Harry's hand and brought it to his head, leaning his head down so Harry could reach better. Before Harry knew what was happening, he was feeling the short prickly hairs that still remained on his lover's head. "It feels like the fuzzy stuff on peaches!"

"What?"

"The fuzzy stuff on peaches! That's what my head feels like now since my hair is so short!"

"You mean, peach fuzz?"

"Yeah, that stuff!"

Harry continued to run his hand back and forth over the top of Marv's head. He was right; it did feel like peach fuzz; though he would rather be running his hands through Marv's old curls. He glanced back and caught a glimpse of Marv's wound on the back of his head. He tried not to stare for Marv's sake, but he could now see the swelled bump on the back of his friend's head since it was no longer being covered by thick brown curls. It was centered on the back of his head, his skin an angry dark purple. Harry could see where there would have been a break in the skin had the fall been any worse, for there was a thin line of red in the middle.

Marv seemed to have caught on to Harry's staring for he purposefully turned to fully face him so that the back of his head was no longer in sight. Harry looked away apologetically. "Sorry, Marv. It's just, now I can actually see what's back there."

Marv shrugged. "Harry, I'm scared. What if something goes wrong?"

"Nothing will go wrong, Marv! These guys are professionals. They know what they are doing! They have done this before!" he reassured him.

Marv nodded, missing the bounce from his curls. He held on tighter to Harry's hand, not believing that any of this was actually taking place. It seemed like ages ago they were just leaving the hotel room after having spent the previous two nights in warmth and comfort and now suddenly they were in strange clothes, in a strange place, and waiting for Marv's surgery.

That hadn't been part of the plan.

Harry's plan had sounded so simple and ingenious at the time when he had mentioned robbing Duncan's Toy Chest. They would go in at midnight, no one would know they were robbing the place; they'd walk out of there like they owned the place and then go live the life of luxury.

Marv looked down into his lap. "I guess you took all that time washing my hair for nothing."

It took Harry a moment to realize what Mar v had said. He frowned sympathetically. "I had to. We couldn't walk in here with your hair like that! It was a mess!"

"I know, but had we known they were just going to shave it off-I just….would've rather had you be the one to cut my hair…."

Harry sighed. No, he hadn't been there when they had shaved off Marv's head. Instead he had been out in the lobby glaring out at the world and watching the nurses happily wish each other 'Merry Christmas' without a care in the world. This train of thought reminded Harry what day it still was.

"Oh, well…..Merry Christmas, Marv" he whispered softly.

Marv's eyes widened as he stared at Harry. "It's Christmas?"

"Well, yeah. Yesterday was Christmas Eve. We planned to rob the toy store Christmas Eve since we knew the money would still be there" Harry explained. "We robbed the joint at midnight. It's goin' on like….." he checked around for a clock. When he found one on the wall opposite of Marv he read it and said, "Five o'clock in the morning."

Marv stared ahead at the clock Harry had just read from and a sorrowful expression appeared on his face. "Santa Clause doesn't visit hospitals, does he?"

Harry opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. He knew he had to answer this question correctly. Marv was staring at him and even though one of his pupils was exploded, there was still a look of trust in his eyes. Even after all that had happened, even after all this, Marv still believed in Harry like nothing had happened. His loyalty often worried Harry; he was so trusting.

Finally he answered and decided to answer truthfully. "No, Marv. He doesn't…."

Marv's shoulders sagged in disappointment. Harry had considered lying but he simply didn't have the heart to. "Just as well, "He heard Marv say. "I've been on the Naughty List ever since I can remember. Criminals don't get presents. They don't get anything. I just wish—"he stopped in mid-sentence as a wave of pain clouded his mind and thoughts. He whimpered and clutched his head, drawing his knees up to his chest and curling into a loose ball. "Harry, make the world stop spinning….please…."

Harry rubbed Marv's back in long soothing strokes, muttering words of comfort. Harry was not used to comforting people like this, but he knew he had to do it for Marv. Marv needed him; he needed to be reassured that everything was going to be alright.

"It's okay, Marvin. This will all go away soon" he told him.

After several painful minutes, the pain seemed to subside as Marv slowly unfurled from his position. He was panting by this time, clearly worn out from the pain. There were circles under Marv's eyes from the lack of sleep. Harry had expected Marv to be knocked out by now, but it would seem that sleep just refused to claim him. Just like sleep refused to claim Harry. Both of them wanted to sleep so badly and just make all this trouble go away. Anyways, Harry figured that finding sleep in a time like this was simply impossible; he would never be able to sleep properly knowing Marv was in so much pain.

"It doesn't feel like Christmas" Marv said abruptly.

Harry sighed. "No, it doesn't, does it?"

"You know….when we were in that toy store….That's when it felt like Christmas. Here, it doesn't…."

Harry recalled how excited and bright Marv's eyes had gotten the moment they had walked into that toy store. He had been so excited to be in the store, it had been hard for him to stay on task at times. He remembered seeing Marv playing with some of the toy soldiers that had been on display and suddenly Harry felt three times worse. Marv shouldn't be here in the hospital, he should be in a safe warm bed with the love of his life, waiting to open presents.

It wasn't fair.

Marv had done nothing wrong. This was all Harry's fault and he knew it. He was the one who had insisted they rob the toy store. He was the one who had insisted on robbing the McCalister house the previous year; causing them to land in jail in the first place. He had been the one who had planned the escape from prison instead of waiting for a chance to be paroled or let out on good behavior. Harry had made a lot of bad choices in his life and it was Marv who was paying for them.

Harry leaned over and gave Marv another kiss on the cheek. "Sorry, Marvin…"

Marv groaned and winced as another wave of pain came over him. Just as Harry was about to start rubbing his back again, Dr. Orellana walked back into the room. "Hello, Marv! Hello, Harry!" He turned his attention to Marv, watching the lanky man wince and curl up in pain. "I see the pain is still there." He turned to watch Miss Corra walk into the room with a needle set. She walked over to a small working table on the other side of Marv and began sterilizing the needle.

Marv took one look at it and he cringed with a moan. "Oh….not needles. I hate needles!"

Miss Corra turned around and gave him a warm smile. "I'm sorry dear. But you need this. This is an anesthetic for the pain. You'll be under sedation during the surgery."

Her words seemed to finally break through Marv's last nerve for the man began sobbing uncontrollably; his shoulders shaking. Harry immediately reacted. "Marv! Don't cry! You were doing so well! Don't give up now!" He held tightly to Marv's arm.

Marv stopped crying, soothed by Harry's words, yet his cheeks were still tear-stained as he looked wearily at Miss Corra, who was coming closer and closer with the needle. Harry was right; he had to be strong. Men like him didn't cry. He sniffled as Miss Corra rubbed a small cloth of anit-bacterial ointment on his arm where she would be placing the needle.

"Marv, just don't look at it" Harry advised him. He made Marv look at him and away from the needle. "Relax, Marv. I'm terrified of needles too! It's nothin' to be ashamed of!"

"Really, Harry? You're scared of needles too?"

"Course I am!" grinned Harry, showing Marv his gold tooth. Marv smiled, feeling less perturbed by the whole ordeal. "Just be grateful they're givin' it to ya in the arm and not the ass!" He said this last bit more quietly.

Marv's eyes widened, his goofy smile finally back on his lips. "They give it to you there?"

Harry nodded. "They sure do! So stop you're fussin'! You could have it so much worse!"

"Apparently!" laughed Marv. "I would hate to have a needle taken on the ass!"

"All done!" chirped Miss Corra happily.

Marv whirled his head around to look at the blonde nurse, a confused look on his face. "What? You haven't even done anything!"

Miss Corra smiled, dabbing the place she put the needle in with another anti-bacterial cloth. "Yes, I did. I gave you the needle. Your friend was right. It's nothing to be afraid of."

It then finally clicked in Marv's sow moving brain. He turned back to Harry, only this time more slowly since the last time had made him dizzy. "Harry! You distracted me!"

"I sure did" grinned Harry knowingly. "Since you were busy talkin' to me you didn't even fee it!"

"The anesthetic should be kicking in momentarily. Don't fight it, Mr. Rinehart. We'll need you unconscious. Once you are out we will be taking you to the operating room" explained Dr. Orellana from where he was still standing.

"Operating room?" echoed Marv, his eyes already starting to droop. "Sounds like something out of a science fiction movie…."

Harry watched sadly as Marv grew more and more tired. He grabbed into Marv's hand one last time and gave it a light squeeze. "Goodnight, Marvin. I'll see when the surgery is over…" He leaned over and gave Marv a kiss on the lips this time, not caring if Miss Corra and Dr. Orellana were watching.

"Alright, Harry. Bye-bye" slurred Marv as he leaned back into the pillows and slowly closing his eyes. The three of them stood and watched for several minutes as Marv fell deeper into the drug-induced sleep.

"Alright, Mr. Murphy, I'm afraid you'll have to leave. We're taking him into the operating room now" apprised Dr. Orellana.

Harry nodded, reluctantly letting go of Marv's hand. He let it go and placed it on top of Marv's chest. He looked to Dr. Orellana. "How long do you think the surgery will be?"

"A surgery this complex will take hours at the least. Every patient is different. It depends on how much swelling we find and how well the tissues respond to our efforts. I suggest you call it a night, Mr. Murphy. I suggest you go home and sleep. You may leave a number with us and we can call you.—" Dr. Orellana was cut off by Harry.

"I'm not going anywhere. I'll be in the lobby!" he declared. Harry took one finally look at Marv, still unsettled by the lack of curls, before turning to leave. As he walked out the door, Miss Corra grabbed his arm. Harry turned to look at her curiously.

"Why don't you go down into the cafeteria? If you can't sleep you might as well eat something" she suggested.

Hunger had been the last thing on Harry's mind and it wasn't until that moment did he realize that he was famished. The last time the two of them had eaten had been long before the robbery. He nodded and grinned at her. "That's a good idea. Thank you." Miss Corra nodded and went back into the room.

Walking down the empty hallways brought back the feeling of nostalgia. He was alone once again and while it had been great to see Marv it only reminded him of the fact that he would be in surgery and would possibly never heal from the brain damage.

Following the signs on the walls, Harry managed to find the elevators. He stopped before them and read the large sign that showed what floors all the departments were on. He found that the cafeteria was in the basement of hospital. He clicked the down button.

He stepped into the elevator once one of them opened and he pressed the button for the basement floor. Once the silver doors closed his sighed. Marv had been so disappointed when he had learned that it was Christmas Day. A pang of guilt tore through him as he knew Marv understood that he wouldn't be getting any presents. Once more it seemed unfair. Marv deserved so much better than that. Perhaps he would be able to find something for Marv in the gift shop once it opened. Assuming it was even open on Christmas.

The elevator dinged and the doors opened to reveal more hallways. Harry was already getting sick of the white walls of the hospital and he had a feeling he would be there for a long time. He walked out and started following more signs that eventually directed him to the cafeteria. Minutes later he found himself staring at a menu that stated the specials that were currently going on in the cafeteria. He ignored the sign and continued past.

Half of the cafeteria was unlit and shut down yet there was still a fairly sized area for those who were still willing to eat this early in the morning. He could see two workers prepping the al le carte line with breakfast foods such as cereal, apples, orange juice, pancakes, oatmeal, and much more.

Unlike in the lobby, there were more people in the cafeteria. A handful of visitors were inside eating, yet it was the two men sitting with their backs to him that caught Harry's attention. The two men were police officers who were apparently off duty. Harry adjusted his coat around his collar and pressed forward, doing his best to ignore their presence.

He walked up to the al le carte line and debated what he was hungry for. Yet his mind quickly turned to figuring out what Marv would get if he were there with him. Knowing Marv, the childish man would want a little bit of everything and would be unable to decide. Marv would probably end up going for the pancakes and would end up pouring enormous amounts of sticky syrup on top of them. Harry smiled faintly as he pictured Marv getting the pancakes. He debated whether or not he should get them himself yet opted instead for a container of yogurt. He wasn't sure if he would be able to stomach much food at the moment. He still ached from earlier that morning.

He grabbed the yogurt and went to the checkout, remembering to grab a plastic spoon in the process. "That'll be 75 cents" the woman behind the cash register told him. Without thinking Harry dug into his pocket and pulled out the first thing he could grab. It ended up being a five dollar bill. The woman gave him his change and he walked off without another thought about it.

His eyes then landed on the two policemen who were still sitting there eating. He sat at the table behind them, glaring into their backs. He listened to what they had to say to each other.

"Ugh, I hate being in helicopters" said one of them.

"Yeah, see, I don't mind them as much. They don't bother me. But that car crash was pretty nasty. They had choice but to bring those two drivers here" said the other one.

"Yeah….I guess so…" replied the first officer.

"Hey, did you hear? Duncan's Toy Chest ended up being robbed" said the second one.

"Really?"

"Yeah! Two amateurs tried robbing the place!"

"Wait, isn't that the case that Officer Stevens was on? The guy from the third precinct?"

"Yeah. They still don't know what happened. They found him out cold on the ground. The two robbers got away. There are no leads. But Stevens' police car is missing. So they're trying to find the location of the car."

From where he was sitting, Harry tensed. He knew they were talking about Marv and him. He felt relieved to know that they currently had no leads yet at the same time he also knew they were looking for the police car he had stolen. In the morning he would have to think of a way to get rid of it after cleaning off all their fingerprints. Harry continued listening as on the second officer started laughing.

"From what I heard, those two robbers were idiots!"

Harry sneered from his seat at the next table.

"How do you mean?" asked the first officer.

"First off, they were covered in God knows what? All kinds of nasty shit! When they were found on the scene they were being attacked by pigeons, had bird seed all over them. Just a bunch of clowns from what I heard."

"Bird seed?"

"Yeah! And a shit ton of other stuff!" He officer took a moment to laugh. "I even heard one of the screamed like a girl when a pigeon came flying out of his jacket." The first officer joined the laughter.

Anger boiled in Harry's veins as the two officers made fun of Marv. They had no idea what they had been through. They were laughing at them and how they had appeared when they had been caught. If only they knew who the real criminal had been. That nasty, evil-minded McCalister kid was the one who should be holed up in a hospital, wondering if he would live or not.

His yogurt completely forgotten, Harry reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the small gun that was still resting in it. How good it would feel to put them out of their misery. With two quick shots to the head the two of them would be gone and they would regret ever making fun of his Marvin. He listened to what they had to say.

"Yeah, Marshall had been on the scene when they were being arrested. Said the one guy started bawling like a baby before he left to go help with the car wreck. How pathetic! It's what he gets for tryin' to steal! Can't even be a man and own up to his mistakes!"

Harry's hand twitched from its place over the gun. He so badly wanted to do it; to get back at those bastards for making fun of them. They had no idea what they had been through nor what they were currently going through. Harry lifted the gun up slightly over the table, moving so that the woman at the al le carte wouldn't be able to see him. He glanced up around the walls and ceiling and saw that the only camera was behind him and therefore the gun was out of shot. His face couldn't be seen either. It would be so easy.

He moved his finger over the trigger, debating which officer he planned to shoot first. Just as he answered his own question and decided to shoot the second guy first, a voice brought him out of his plotting.

"Sir?"

Harry flinched and quickly moved the gun and placed it back into his pocket. He turned around to see the woman from behind the cash register. "What?" he huffed at her.

"I'm sorry, but I gave you the wrong change! I only gave you four dollars back when you should have gotten a quarter back too! My mistake!" she apologized fretfully. "It's just been one of those nights!" She laughed nervously before walking back to the cash register.

"Yeah…." Mumbled Harry as he watched her walk off. He looked back just in time to see the two officers stand and throw away their trash, leaving the cafeteria altogether. He sighed once they were gone and was trembling slightly as he realized what he had almost done. The weight of the gun suddenly felt three times heavier than ever before. Just like that he had let his temper take over and had been completely willing to risk it all just to have the satisfaction of killing off those two men who had nothing to do with their arrest or the situation they were in. Despite the fact they the two men were officers and the fact that Harry despised all policemen, they had done nothing wrong. Just two guys getting some food after a long shift, trying to make a few laughs. They had no idea Harry had been there listening, they had no idea the harm they had been causing.

Harry knew he would have to do something about the gun and his temper. He couldn't let himself slip like that again. One mistake like that and he would never be able to see Marv again. He would be caught before he could blink and it would all be over.

Harry pushed his yogurt container away; no longer have the stomach to eat anything. He had to think about Marv and what was currently best for him. He couldn't let his temper get the better of him like that.

He stood up, tossing the yogurt and spoon into the trash and walked out of the cafeteria.

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Author's Note: A slightly shorter chapter, but not by much. The reason for this is because if I keep on going, the chapter will never end. Plus, I need to decide what I want to have happen next. Sorry if this chapter was a bit boring, but it did focus on Harry and the turmoil he's going through. Poor Marv. Poor Harry. Both of them are going through some hard times. I tried my best to be as medically correct as possible. Hopefully I succeeded. Please review and let me know what you all think! -EricaX


	11. Chapter 11

**Finding Sleep **

**Chapter 11**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing save for Dr. Orellana, Miss Corra, David, and Logan. They belong to me. **

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Harry wasn't sure how long he had been staring at the chair in front of him, but it felt like a lifetime. After coming back from the cafeteria, he had hoped to get a bit of sleep, but of course, sleep was the last thing that was on his mind.

The weight of the gun was still in his pocket and it would be a long time before he forgot how he had nearly shot those two policemen with it. He had to be careful with that gun; not to mention his temper. It would get him into a great heap of trouble; something he and Marv were currently trying to dig themselves out of.

At the thought of Marv Harry took in a deep breath and repositioned himself in his chair. Thinking of Marv only reminded him that he was currently in surgery. He was in surgery on Christmas Day, easily known as Marv's favorite day of the year. He tried to push that out of his mind. He remembered how shocked Marv had sounded after telling him what day it was and he supposed he couldn't blame him for having forgotten. After running into the McCalister kid, time seemed to have vanished. They had been so intent on getting that kid that they had completely lost track of time. Then before either of them knew it they were running from the police and now in the hospital.

Harry glanced over at the clock on the wall and saw that it was now six o'clock in the morning. He really did wish he would be able to fall asleep.

He slumped down further into the chair he was sitting in, trying once again to get comfortable enough to attempt sleep. He pulled his coat closer to him, crossing his arms in the meantime. He propped his feet up on another nearby chair and closed his eyes, his thoughts on Marv and the current predicament they were in.

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Harry groaned a bit in his chair when he felt someone shaking him on the shoulder. He had finally managed to fall asleep; waking up was the last thing he wanted to do right now. He tried ignoring the shaking yet whoever was shaking him was persistent and refused to leave him be.

With a huff, Harry opened his steely gray eyes and looked up to see who was bothering him. It was Miss Corra. Harry sat up a bit better in his chair and stretched. "How's Marv?"

"He just woke up from surgery. You've been asleep for a while, Mr. Lyme" Miss Corra replied sternly. Harry blinked up at her. She had used his real name and not his fake one. How had she found out about them? He looked up at her again, noting that the soft friendly smile on her warm face was gone and replaced with cold hard features.

"How do you-?" he began but she cut him off.

"No time for questions, Mr. Lyme. Mr. Merchants wishes to see you" she informed him, turning on her heel and heading for the operating room. Harry watched after her with shock, his eyes wide as he woke completely from his sleep. Something was not right here. Miss Corra had been so sweet and kind to him earlier. What could have possibly made her turn so cold? And why was she suddenly calling them by their real names? How did she find out about them?

Harry didn't have a chance to answer the millions of questions going on his head for Miss Corra was already through the doors. He quickly stood up and followed her. He managed to catch up with her and walked several paces behind her.

The clicking of her high heels were the only sound that could be heard in the white walled hallway as they walked towards Marv's room. Harry frowned as he watched her from behind. He didn't care for what was going on; this whole thing didn't seem right. Perhaps the police had managed to find their car and managed to trace them back inside the hospital. Perhaps they had heard about Mr. Murphy and Mr. Rinehart and found it suspicious that they were there with those types of injuries. Harry figured anything was possible as Miss Corra stepped into Marv's room.

Harry pushed away all his thoughts and worries for the moment and focused on seeing Marv. He must have been asleep a long time because it seemed Marv had just gone into surgery minutes ago. Yet as he walked through the door, he could see the silhouette of Marv resting on the bed in the dimly lit room. He took a moment to glance around the room and saw that both Miss Corra and Dr. Orellana were standing in the corner of the room, watching intently.

Harry glared at them. "What are you starin' at, huh?" he growled at them. Neither nurse or doctor replied or even moved a muscle, just continued to stare. Harry felt a shiver go down his spine. He had heard of people being observant, but this was ridiculous. He turned his attention to Marv, who was resting on the bed.

At least Marv looked alright. Unlike Miss Corra and Dr. Orellana, who were officially on Harry's 'freak list', Marv seemed to be perfectly normal. Or at least, as normal as one could be after just having brain surgery. He smiled fondly at the taller man and leaned down to him. "Marv!" he whispered softly. "Marvin! Marvin, wake up! It's me! Harry!"

Harry watched as Marv's eye lids slowly opened to reveal chocolate eyes. He frowned when he noted that Marv's eye was still exploded.

Marv turned to Harry, looking at him through heavy eyes. "Harry?"

"That's me" smiled Harry, trying his best to ignore the odd feeling in his gut. Something still didn't feel quite right about all this. He knew the feeling too; it was the feeling he felt just before the cops were about to find them. The feeling he got whenever he knew the police were hot on their trail. Perhaps he was right; Miss Corra had called them by their real names after all. Perhaps they had learned the truth somehow.

"Harry? My head hurts…." Sighed Marv, shifting a bit on the bed.

Harry nodded. "I know. It's gonna be a bit tender. But at least ya made it out of surgery…" The shorter man brushed his hand over Marv's head, which was swathed in bandages. He could see the short fine hairs that once were Marv's curls and he desperately wished they hadn't been cut off, for both Marv's sake and his own.

Marv groaned a bit and closed his eyes. "Yeah…..No thanks to you…."

Harry flinched at his words, his hand retracting from Marv's head. "What did you say?"

Marv moaned a bit and winced from the soreness of his head. "You're the reason I'm in here to begin with, Harry." Marv's voice sounded so light and innocent, just as always, yet his words felt like venom to Harry.

"Marv…" Harry said unsurely, his voice cracking ever so slightly. He didn't like where this was headed. He knew he was the reason for Marv's surgery, he knew he was the reason for their current predicament, he knew it was his fault they nearly went to jail to begin with, but to hear these words from Marv….

"I'm in pain, Harry. I had the surgery, but I still hurt a lot. Doctor said I will never be the same again. Says I won't be able to think straight. My eyesight is bad too. Which is why my eyes are still funny…" Marv continued on. Harry could feel his body going numb. "I lost all my hair….now I'm losing my eyesight….All because of you, Harry…"

Harry recoiled from Marv and took a step back. He glanced up at Miss Corra and Dr. Orellana only to see that they were no longer there. In replacement stood two police officers, one who was holding hand cuffs and ready to arrest him. Harry took another step back. He scowled, refusing to let Marv's words get to him. If he was going to be arrested, then he was going to be arrested with what little pride and dignity he had left; therefore not falling to pieces after Marv's words.

"Fine! Let's get this over with! But DON'T touch the head!" He balled his hands into fists after running a hand over his burnt head. In all the fuss over Marv he had practically forgotten that he was in pain as well from the fresh burns he had received.

As the two policemen started stepping towards Harry to arrest him, Marv spoke. "Harry…" The shorter Bandit turned to his lover. "All I wanted was for you to like me. All I wanted was for you to notice me and to be happy with me. But thanks to you, I'll never be happy again…."

Just as Marv spoke those words, Harry flinched as the police handcuffed him. "Marv!" he shouted, not entirely sure what was going on anymore. It seemed his world was falling apart around him and all his crimes and misdeeds were finally catching up to him; because for the first time ever, he was seeing just how badly his actions had affected Marv. Now he was being taken to jail; the one place he belonged after all his crimes. With one last desperate shout, he was taken away. "Marv!"

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Harry gave a shout as someone touched him on the shoulder, his eyes going wide with fear and shock. He panted a bit and struggled in the handcuffs he was in, his hands forced together. He wasn't sure where he was now; all he knew was that he had been taken away from his Marvin.

Harry flinched when someone began speaking to him.

"Mr. Murphy? Are you alright?"

Harry looked up to see the concerned face of Miss Corra, who was leaning over slightly; her hand still on his shoulder. He looked down at the hand on his shoulder, then down to his hands that were no longer handcuffed. He moved his hands almost nervously, stuffing them into his pants pockets. "Oh, Miss Corra…."

"I didn't mean to frighten you, Mr. Murphy, but you seemed to have been having a nightmare. You were shouting in your sleep and worrying everyone else" she told him, looking up to glance at the few other family members in the lobby waiting for their loved ones.

"Nightmare?" echoed Harry.

"Yes. But anyways, I simply wanted to let you know that Marvin is still in surgery and everything is going well. His body is coping well under the anesthetic and the swelling is going down. It could still be a while longer, but I know how worried you've been and I wanted to let you know" she explained to him.

"Marvin is doing okay?" inquired Harry, still a little dazed from the nightmare. He looked up at Miss Corra and couldn't shake off the unnerving feeling he had gotten when speaking to her in the dream. She had been so cold to him; the complete opposite of how she was being to him now.

"Yes" she replied warmly.

Harry sighed and sat up straighter in his chair, feeling his back protest after being in the same position for so long. "What time is it?"

"It's nearly ten o'clock" Miss Corra answered.

"Ten? I've been asleep that long?" he yawned. "I don't even remember falling asleep." Miss Corra nodded, her eyes looking troubled. Harry caught the look in her eyes and frowned, memories from the dream haunting him. "What?"

"Mr. Murphy, if I may be so bold as to ask, how exactly did Marvin come to hurting his head? You said he fell. How did he fall?" her question pierced through Harry like a knife simply because it brought back memories of the day before and all the traps he and Marv had had to endure thanks to the spoiled little brat, Kevin.

"I told you. He fell on some ice" he answered curtly.

"How did Marvin falling on the ice cause you to receive the burns on your head?" was her next question. She took this time to move one of the many chairs around them to sit in front of him. Harry gave her the best blank look he could manage given the situation.

"Oh…You noticed those….huh?"

"Yes, I did. Those are second degree burns. I could understand if they were on your hands or possibly or arms, but on your head? How did that happen?"

Harry sighed. He couldn't tell her the truth without uncovering their secret. He needed to come up with something and fast. "I…..had an accident. I was trying to clean out our….storage room. I thought it had been water that was spilling from the bucket above, so I didn't think much of it. I was reaching up to light a candle. Lost my grip on the match. It fell on my head. It was kerosene that was in the bucket. Not water. The kerosene dripped onto my head and when I dropped the match, it caught fire…." He looked away from her, knowing she wouldn't believe his cover story. He doubted even Marv would believe that. He looked up at her and decided it would be best to be blunt. "You don't believe me, do ya?"

Miss Corra gave him a hard look, studying his face. Her lips formed a straight line before saying, "You really should be more careful then, Mr. Murphy. I won't question you on how you got those burns, just tell me that you'll be more careful from now on and neither of you will do anything…illegal…"

Harry nodded, grateful that she wasn't going to press the matter. "Yes, Ma'am."

"I can have someone take a look at those burns for you. Perhaps you can get a medication to put on it to help" she suggested.

"That would be helpful" Harry told her honestly.

Miss Corra straightened and nodded. "Alright. I'll see what I can do. In the meantime, I wanted to ask you: Are you in need of a job?"

Harry blinked at her, wondering where she would get an idea like that from. She didn't know him, yet she knew he didn't have a job? "Yes, how did ya know that?"

Miss Corra almost blushed. "Well, you're friend Marvin was a bit talkative during his x-rays."

Harry's eyes widened as he felt his stomach plummet down to his stomach. He didn't even want to think of some of the stuff Marv might have told the nurse and doctor was he was alone with them. He cleared his throat and said, "Oh, yeah?" he tried to act nonchalant. "What did he say?"

"Not too much. Just said the two of you were new in town and that you both needed jobs" she replied.

Harry was once again caught off guard for what seemed like the hundredth time. He was impressed Marv had said such a good lie, instead of saying something along the lines of them being convicts on the run from the police after having just stolen money from a toy store on Christmas Eve. "Yeah, that's true. I am looking for a job. We both are, but I don't think Marv will be able to have a job for a while until he recovers."

Miss Corra nodded. "Yes. Well….And this may be a bit forward of me since we don't really know each other, but I know of a place you might be able to get a job. You see, my nephew is a sophomore in college and he just got a job working at the local Performing Arts Center. It's about three blocks from here. They just opened last year and are constantly looking for hands to help with the shows."

Harry nodded, taking all of this in. He had not expected to be able to find a job so quickly but he was far from complaining. Back in Chicago, he and Marv had been plumbers while they stole from private homes. Harry doubted they would be lucky enough to get a job like that here in the city, so he hadn't been sure where he would be able to find work. "What kind of work is it? Theatre?" he made a face. "I can't really see myself in the theater. Foldin' costumes, doin' make-up. No thanks."

The blond nurse shook her head. "Oh, no! It's more than that! Besides, you wouldn't be the one doing that anyways! No, the job is actually a lot more hard work than you think. My nephew had had the same impression you did when he first heard about it."

"Then what kind of stuff would I be doin'?" Harry had never had a whole lot of experience in theater, if any, so he had a hard time picturing what all there was to do in a theater. He couldn't imagine there being any kind of work that he would be interested in. yet he wasn't about to let a job opportunity go by, especially with Marv in the hospital. Sure, they had the money they had stolen from the toy store, but that wouldn't last them forever.

"Well, it's a large theater. Big shows and bands come in. You would probably start off a Loader. You would be helping load and unload the show's semi-trucks. As you can imagine, all those large sets they have, it's heavy work. My nephew Logan says most of it is heavy work. You would help build and take down sets. You would be changing and adjusting the lighting and working on the loading desks and low bridge. It's all heavier stuff than you think."

Harry nodded, truly liking the sound of it. "So, no ironing?" he teased.

Miss Corra giggled. "No. No, ironing for you, Mr. Murphy."

"Call me Harry" he told her.

"Is it something you would be interested in, Harry?" she smiled.

"I'll think about it" he sighed. "I'll wait until after Marv is out of surgery before I decide anything…"

"Well, if you would like, my nephew is coming back at noon to bring me some lunch and visit. How about afterwards he takes you over to the Performing Arts Center and the two of you can discuss things?"

"Sure. It's not like I'm doin' much else. But I don';t want to be gone long. I want to be here when Marv wakes up from the surgery." He saw that Miss Corra was about to speak but he beat her to it. "I know! He's not even out of surgery yet. But you said you're nephew isn't coming until noon. That's two hours away. Then we'll be gone a while longer. I just don't want him to be alone when he wakes up."

Miss Corra smiled warmly at him and nodded. "I understand. I don't blame you. I would want to be there when my lover woke up too." She blushed the moment she finished speaking.

Harry stared at her. "What did you say?"

"I'm sorry, was that not right? I shouldn't have assumed, it's just—" she stuttered, unsure of what to say. "I shouldn't have said anything."

Harry watched her as she made her apologies. He had kissed Marv right in front of her and Dr. Orellana, so he couldn't really blame her for saying something. It would have been hard not to notice anyways. "No. It's okay. You're right. Marv and I are together."

"How sweet" she cooed. "Anyways, I'll let you know when my nephew is here. He can take you over to the Performing Arts Center and you can take a look around."

"Thanks, Miss Corra. For everything" sighed Harry. He watched as Miss Corra left the lobby walked back through the thick metal doors. He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes, hoping to shake off the headache that was forming in his temples. He still couldn't believed all that had happened in the last twenty four hours.

Standing, Harry felt his back groan in protest to the movement. He knew he was going to have to back to the cafeteria and get himself some more food. That yogurt didn't last long, especially since he hadn't even eaten it all. With that final resolute, Harry found himself walking towards the cafeteria for something to eat.

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It had been about two hours since Harry had last seen Miss Corra and her ideas of having her nephew meet up with him and take him to the Performing Arts Center. He had gotten himself something to eat, making sure it would last him several hours in case Marv woke up and he didn't get the chance to go back down to the cafeteria. The grilled turkey sandwich he had eaten had tasted wonderful. It had been the first time he had eaten since the night before and after all that running around chasing after the kid, he had worked up an appetite.

Harry was studying the back of his left hand out of boredom when a shadow fell over him as he sat in the lobby. He glanced up to see that it was Miss Corra and a tall teenager.

"Hello, Harry" greeted Miss Corra. The teen to her left gave a small, shy wave.

Harry nodded to them both before he asked the question that was burning on his tongue. "How's Marv?"

Miss Corra gave him a patient smile. "He just came out of surgery about twenty minutes ago. Everything went as planned and now we just wait to see if he comes out of the sedation."

"'If" he comes out of the sedation?" demanded Harry incredulously. "You mean he may not?"

Miss Corra rose a hand to keep him from panicking, though Harry still felt his anxiety levels hit the ceiling. "Relax! He's been doing very well throughout the whole surgery. There is no reason for us not to believe he will come out of the sedation just fine."

"Then why did ya make it sound as though there was a chance he wouldn't?" insisted Harry, standing up. His legs groaned in protest from lack of use.

"Because there IS a chance he won't. But Harry, you must understand, we have to tell it that way because that is the truth. There will always be the possibility that someone doesn't awaken from the sedation that is given to them. The chances are very unlikely and rarely does it happen; but it HAS happened…..It is said only as a precaution…" she explained gently to him.

"I want to see him" claimed Harry, no longer able to wait. He wanted to see his Marvin. Now that he was out of surgery he wanted to see Marvin in person. He wanted to see him with his own eyes and not just from the words Miss Corra says to him. It had been almost five hours since the last time he had seen Marv and the shorter bandit simply couldn't take it anymore.

It was at that moment that the nightmare from earlier that morning came reeling back to him. He remembered how Marv had acted in the dream and it made Harry frown to think that there was a chance he would act like that in real life. Marv had blamed everything on him and had told him that he would never be able to live a normal life again because his life had been screwed up. All because of Harry and his plans to steal money. Harry took in a deep breath as he ran a nervous hand over his head and stuffed his free hand inside his pocket. His heart gave a jump as he did this though for his hand touched the small gun that was still hiding in his pocket.

"Harry?" called Miss Corra, glancing at Harry with concern. Harry snapped out of his thoughts.

"I want to see him" he repeated gruffly, his frown deepening. He was no longer playing around. He wanted to see his Marvin. He was tired of wearing his emotions on his sleeves and allowing those around him to see him breaking. That was not Harry Lyme. Harry Lyme didn't show this kind of emotion; he was a cold hearted old bastard on the outside, someone who was feared as a stranger and a riot as a friend. Harry Lyme was not some emotional mess and he wasn't going to start being one now.

"Alright, I'll take you to see him" she told him. She was about to start walking when she glanced at her nephew, having forgotten he was there. Harry held back a growl when she turned back to him and said, "Oh, sorry! This is my nephew, Logan. The one I was talking to you about earlier. If you still want to, he can take you over to the Performing Arts Center and let you have a look around." She turned to Logan. "Logan, this is Mr. Harry Murphy. Harry, this is Logan."

Harry shook the teen's hand, still trying to get used to his fake name. He said nothing, for his mind was currently too focused on Marv.

"It's nice to meet you, sir" said Logan in an attempt to be friendly. Harry could tell the teen was nervous. Logan was about 5'9 with reddish hair that was cut short like Marv's hair currently was. He had blue eyes and a strong square jaw. He seemed like he was the athletic type simply due to his build.

"Likewise" Harry managed to grunt out. He turned to Miss Corra expectantly.

Miss Corra nodded. "Alright, this way. Logan, just wait here. We'll be back in a few minutes."

Harry's frown deepened. Who did this lady think she was, saying how long he was going to be in there with Marv. Who had even said he WANTED to go with the teenaged brat? No one. Nobody told Harry what to do and he hated the idea that she thought she could.

"You seem pretty sure I want to go with your nephew" he heard himself say gruffly.

Miss Corra's eyes widened in apology. "Oh, I'm sorry! I don't mean to be rude. You certainly don't have to go if you don't want to. I just thought it would give you a chance to get out of the hospital for a bit and possibly get a job. I was only trying to help you, Harry."

At her words, Harry suddenly felt a bit guilty for snapping at her, though he wasn't about to admit that to her. The two of them were silent the rest of the way to Marv's room in the ICU. He couldn't help but remember the dream from before and remembered how this had been pretty much the same as then. But he noted that this time Dr. Orellana was nowhere to be seen. Possibly off helping another patient; doctors were not known to stick around long.

Harry reached Marv's side in seconds, taking in the sight before him. Marv was resting on the bed, a large fluffy white pillow propping his head up slightly. His eyes were firmly shut, showing that he was still in a deep sleep from the drugs. His face was pale and emotionless, which didn't make Harry feel any better. He didn't like seeing Marv so pale and unresponsive. As much as they annoyed him, Harry badly wanted to hear Marv's silly comments about Arizona or how he believed that six equaled a dozen.

Harry gently grabbed onto Marv's left hand, which was above the covers of the bed. Just like in his nightmare, there were white bandages swathed around his head, hiding most of the short fine hairs on his head. Harry slowly raised Marv's hand and gently kissed it. "Hey, Marv…." He said awkwardly. He looked behind him to see that there was a chair. He quickly scooted it towards him without letting go of Marv's hand.

Harry sat down, but not before taking off his coat for the first time since he'd been in the hospital. Ever since he had gotten there he had felt cold and therefore never felt the need to take it off. Yet here, sitting in Marv's room after his surgery, Harry was feeling a little hot and bothered. "Hey Marv…." He said again quietly. He looked to make sure Miss Corra was gone and to his relief, she was. He turned back to Marv. "Merry Christmas….."

Silence met him.

Harry took in a long deep breath, not knowing what to do next. He ran his free hand over his burnt heard, remembering faintly that Miss Corra had promised to have someone look at his burns for him. She was being truly sweet to him. She was doing things for him that she didn't need to and he wondered why that was.

"Well, Marv…..we may have escaped jail…..but we still managed to have another lousy Christmas, eh?" he chuckled a bit in a weak attempt to lighten the mood. He didn't know why he was trying, seeing as how one of them was unconscious. "Christmas just isn't our holiday it would seem. Which is a shame, seein' as how it's your favorite. Rotten luck, I guess."

More silence as Marv slept on, blissfully unaware.

"I can assure ya, you're not missin' much here. Cafeteria food ain't bad, but it's nothin' compared to the food we've been eatin' the last couple nights" he said, referring to the restaurants he and Marv had eaten at while using the stolen credit card. "I mean, they don't even have butter. They have that margarine crap!" Harry shook his head, no longer aware that was rambling about the most random of things. He felt calmer now that he was near Marv and holding his hand. The rest of the world seemed to disappear.

"And I gotta tell ya, I sure could use a bed right about now! Those chairs out in the lobby are no place for a guy ta sleep! I have trouble sleepin' in 'em, I couldn't even imagine the trouble you would have, with your long legs!"

Marv's long nose twitched in his sleep.

Harry nodded. "Yeah, I know what you're thinkin', "Not more 'tall' jokes. It's not my fault you're so damn tall!" Harry smirked as though he was remembering an old fond memory. Yet he changed to topic. "So, get this, Marv. I might be getting' a job. Me! No more plumbin' jobs for us, pal! Looks like a might be workin' in a theater, of all places!"

Harry waited a moment, almost hoping that Marv would wake up and start laughing at him. He never did like being laughed at, but he never minded it as much when Marv was the one laughing at him.

"Maybe once your better you can work there too" He said this more quietly. He sighed, bundling up his coat in his lap. He mind was going down a track of thoughts he would prefer not to think about but he could no longer ignore them. "Assumin', of course, that you DO get better…..That you don't….wake up and we learn that you're blind….or can't speak…..or deaf…" He stopped, choking a bit on his words as his emotions began to overpower him. His shoulders began to shake as he looked down into his lap, tears stinging his eyes. After a few minutes, he managed to pull himself together enough to continue talking to his unconscious lover.

"Things are gonna be different this time, Marv. I mean it, this time. I know I've said that before, but this time it's really goin' to happen. No more crimes. It's temptin', sure. But….it's just not worth it…..I…..learned that the hard way…..and….at your expense…."

Marv sighed softly in his sleep, prompting Harry to nod as though he had said something.

"I'm gonna get a job….and start earnin' money the old fashioned way. The legal way…..The right way…" he finished. He let go of Marv's hand and pulled his coat closer to him, feeling the gun in the pocket. He frowned at it, remembering that he had to get rid of it as soon as he could. He didn't notice Marv's hand twitch the moment he let go, nor did he notice the hand feebly try to reach for him. Instead Harry was too busy wrapped in his own thoughts.

Getting rid of the gun would not be an easy task. He couldn't just throw away anywhere. He would have to make sure there were no cameras around, not to mention any people. Perhaps he could find an alley with the trash carts.

Marv gave a soft moan which brought Harry out of his thoughts. He shot up from his chair and was inches away from Marv a moment later. For a moment Harry thought that Marv might be waking up. He certainly hoped he would. He watched intently at Marv's expressionless face, waiting to see if anything would happen.

Slowly, Marv's chocolate brown eyes slid open, blearily looking up at Harry. His eyes landed on Harry yet there was no recognition, which scared Harry to pieces. Marv blinked up at Harry, though the blank look on his face made it seem as though Marv didn't know who he was. Harry could feel his heart start to race; he hadn't even thought of the possibility of memory loss for he was so busy worrying about other things Marv could suffer from.

"Marv? Marv, it's me, Harry" he spoke to him. A wave of déjà vu came over Harry as he once again remembered his dream. Those were the exact same words he had spoken in the dream. He certainly hoped Marv wouldn't say the same words too.

Though it seemed Marv wasn't going to say any words this time, for his eyes were slowly sliding back shut before sleep claimed him once again. The balding man was glad Marv hadn't repeated the words from his dream, but he still felt uneasy. Marv hadn't said anything at all, nor did he even appear to recognize him.

Harry waited there for several minutes in case Marv opened his eyes again, yet when nothing happened he leaned back took in a deep sigh. He fidgeted with his coat, glancing at the door. He supposed there was no point sitting there waiting for the next time Marv would open his eyes, especially if he wasn't even going to be recognized. He had already told Marv he was going to get a job and he wasn't about to start lying to him. He knew Marv probably hadn't even heard him but he didn't care. Pulling on his coat, Harry walked through the door, leaving the sleeping Marv in peace.

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"Okay, so what is this place called again?" asked Harry as he sat in the passenger's seat of Logan's black truck.

"It's the Performing Arts Center" Logan informed him. "It's only been around for about a year or so now, so its brand new. I got the job because they're hiring people to be part of the crew."

"The crew?"

"Yeah. You'll be working backstage. Assuming you get the job."

"Sure" nodded Harry understandingly.

Within the past twenty minutes he had Logan had become quick friends. It turned out that Logan reminded Harry a great deal of himself when he was a teenager, though without nearly as much trouble. The two of them hit if off the moment they had gotten into the car, immediately talking about trucks, since they were in one, then turning to motorcycles, then eventually getting to plumbing. Harry had learned that Logan's father, Miss Corra's brother, had been a plumber once and therefore knew quite a bit about the profession himself.

Logan had a deep voice for a kid his age and seemed to be into a lot of the same stuff Harry was into. Save for liquor. Logan refused to drink, which Harry congratulated him on. Assured him he was missing nothing despite what some people would say. Though Harry did enjoy his drinking, he would never encourage a young man like Logan to start up the habit.

"You'll like it. It's more work than you think. It's more than just wardrobe and make-up."

"I wouldn't know. I know nothin' about the theater" admitted Harry.

Logan nodded as he turned left at a light. "Can you lift heavy stuff?"

"Of course!" chuckled Harry.

"Can you use a wrench?"

"I'm a plumber!" Harry reminded him.

"Then you'll be perfect for the job" laughed Logan.

It was then that a thought came to Harry. "Wait a minute! It's Christmas day! There are actually people working today?"

Logan frowned, his eyes never leaving the road. "Sadly so. There is a big show coming in before New Year's and I guess this was the only time David could get people to show up."

"David?"

"Oh, right! David Acklow. He's the stage manager and possibly your future boss."

"Oh…" Harry paused before asking, "So what kind of stuff is going on today?"

"Today is what is known as an All Call. It's optional, meaning anyone can work it. If you show up, great. If not, no problem."

"That's convenient" remarked the older man.

"Very. But David sometimes gets mad when not enough workers come for a Call. But, not a whole lot that can be done about it. All we're gonna be doing is prepping the stage for the next show."

Harry's eyebrows knit together in confusion. "How do you prep a stage?"

"Well, every show has a different lighting layout. Some shows want lots of lights, some want very few. Some want green lights, some want colorless. Some want follow spots, some don't. Some want curtains, some don't. Some want microphones while others might want speakers. Some shows may even have projectors we have to set up. Anything that is not theirs, we have to set up with our own equipment. It'll be easier to explain once we're there."

Harry nodded, completely baffled by all Logan was trying to tell him. He had never imagined he would be in a place like this, about to go work on a stage. At least it was all backstage work. He didn't picture himself being a good actor.

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It had taken Logan and Harry about twenty minutes to get the theater and Harry couldn't help but stare at the building in awe. The front of the building was oval shaped with glass windows. In the back it rose higher where the theater was clearly held. Though Harry didn't get a very good chance to look at the building for Logan was already heading for the front doors.

"Just follow me" he advised his new friend. Harry did as he was told and followed Logan, glancing around the ritzy looking place. The type of people who came in here to watch shows were the same kind of people Harry used to steal from on a daily basis.

Logan led him through a hallway through the right, ignoring the main lobby which led into the theater. They walked past several offices before walking through a door. After following a long white brick hallway, they turned left. "This is behind the stage" Logan announced proudly. "This is where the magic takes place."

Harry continued to follow him without question. He could see where there was a closed metal garage door, which he guessed was for the loading dock. Logan opened the door beside it, swiping his ID card through a machine. The machine beeped happily. He came back through the door and showed the card to Harry. "This is my ID card. You have to swipe in so that you on the clock and you're getting paid. You'll be doing that too once your hired."

Harry nodded.

Logan then took him through the Stage Right door and it was then that Harry could hear the sounds of people working. They walked through the door and Harry stepped out onto the large black floored stage. The stage was large and spacious and out further down stage he could see out in the house where all the seats sat. It was a beautiful theater.

The stage was currently filled with about a dozen different people, all busy bustling around getting work done. Several long thin pipes that took up the width of the stage were hanging down from the high ceilings above.

"Those are the line sets" Logan was quick to explain to him. "That's what they are working on. They are brought in and out by the Low Bridge." Logan then pointed over to the far left wall where long white ropes were hanging down, some showing the bricks they were holding and others not. "The bricks and are what keep the line sets in balance. Whenever we add or remove lights, the weights have to change, otherwise the line sets won't stay up."

Harry nodded, taking all of this in. It all seemed fairly simple to him. He had never been in an environment like the theater but it was easy for him to get the grasp of things. "Alright. Makes sense." He followed Logan over to the front of the stage where Harry could see the Orchestra shell was. The Orchestra shell was currently up but even a man who was not familiar with theater knew it was down below their feet.

They walked over to where a tall man with long dark hair pulled back into a thin ponytail was talking to several of the workers, clearly telling them what to do next. Logan turned back to Harry, "That's David. He's the guy you're gonna want to talk to about getting a job here."

Harry nodded. He looked David up and down, trying to get a feel for what the guy was like. David was tall and skinny; though it was clear he had years of the theater behind him due to his build. Compared to some of the men he's had to deal with in jail; who were easily twice David's size, this was nothing.

The two stopped just before David, who was still oblivious to their presence. After waiting several moments for David to finish up they finally had his attention. "Logan! Hi!" David greeted in a friendly voice.

"Hi, David. This is Harry. I brought him in today because he's interested in working here" Logan explained.

David turned his attention to Harry, glancing down at the shorter man, the smile on his face fading slightly. "Oh, hello, Harry. Nice to meet you." The two of them shook hands.

"Likewise. So, I'm to understand you're lookin' for workers?" Harry was never the type to beat around the bush with small talk.

David nodded. "Yes. Yes, we are. Do you have any experience in the theater?"

Harry shook his head. "None. I've been a plumber the last few years. But I'm new in town and I need some work."

David nodded. "Great! Well, see, here's the thing. Here, you don't need resumes. No experience is needed, which is perfect for you. The reason for this is because we try to hire a lot of college students that are going to some of the local colleges. When you first start here, you'll be in training. You'll be working with someone and will never be working alone until….well, until you show us that you won't break things, catch the stage on fire….that sort of thing." The taller man laughed as he tried to bring some comedy into the mix.

Harry chuckled. "I can promise ya, I won't be catching the stage on fire."

David nodded. "Good. Now, you can technically start today if you wish, but until we get some paperwork in and get you set up with an ID card, we won't be able to pay you. But it'll help you get some experience in, get to know the place, get comfortable." David's eyes landed on Logan. "If you want, you can shadow Logan for your training."

"Shadow him?"

Logan stepped in and answered before David could. "Follow me around and work with me for a while until you're good on your own. I can show you how things are done." Harry nodded.

"Exactly" agreed David. "Now you will be expected to take a Safety Test. Don't worry, it's very basic. There are a few videos I'll have you watch and then you'll be tested on them." He raised his hands almost apologetically. "It's not my decision; the board makes me give everyone the test. Federal regulations. I do not have the test available right now, but I will let you know as soon as I do."

"Sounds like a plan" claimed Harry.

David gave him a large grin. "Alright. Welcome aboard, Harry—What's your last name?"

"Murphy."

"Harry Murphy. Well, it's a pleasure to have you with us. Stay if you want, but you don't have to. It is Christmas. I certainly wish I wasn't here…." David then turned his attention to one of the workers who waiting to ask him something, leaving Harry and Logan by themselves.

Logan shrugged. "So, what do you think?"

Harry nodded, glancing around the place that would soon be his new job. As he looked around at the students working, some teenagers while others in their older forties; it suddenly occurred to him that this was the first time he had been away from Marv for over a year. They had been in prison together, and before that they lived together, then they were staying at the hotel, then the hospital. He had gone into that store by himself, but Marv had been just outside. Marv wasn't waiting for outside this time.

Harry glanced up at Logan who was saying hello to one of his friends. This was the first time he'd been away from Marv and it made him feel unsettled. While he liked the idea of staying there with Logan to get a feel for the job he was about to start, he wanted to be back at the hospital with Marv; who could easily wake up at any moment.

At this revelation, Harry knew he had to go back. "Hey, Logan!" He said. "Kid!" He tapped Logan on the shoulder to grab his attention. Logan turned to him expectantly. "I know you probably want to get some work in, but would you mind takin' me back to the hospital. If you want I can grab a taxi—"

Logan shook his head, cutting him off. "No, that's cool. I can't stay anyways. I have to get back to my folks. I just did this as a favor for my Aunt Corra. Plus, I wanted to help you out."

Harry smiled at him. "Thanks, kid. That means a lot to me."

Logan shrugged him off. " No big deal, man. Gotta help each other out. Let me swipe out and we'll leave."

Harry waited for Logan to go swipe out, standing there looking around him. He could see himself working there. Several guys were leading a large cart of big black lightning lamps up onto the stage from the storage room on Stage Right. They looked heavy and he watched as several younger girls, who were clearly in the early twenties, talk up to the cart searching for the right light lamp to use.

A blonde girl with glasses pulled two lights off the cart, nearly bumping into Harry as she turned around. "Oh, excuse me sir!" she apologized briskly, quickly turning to get out of Harry's way. Harry sidestepped her, feeling bad he had gotten in her way; those lights looked heavy with the way she was carrying them.

"Ready to go?" came Logan's voice from behind him.

"Yeah, let's go."

The two of them walked back out to Logan's truck, both looking up at the sky when they realized it was snowing. Harry watched the snow fall down around them, taking in the large flakes. The snow only made him want to see Marv all the more. He knew how much Marv liked the snow and it reminded once more that Marv couldn't enjoy it.

Glancing out at the road before them, Harry took in a deep sigh, knowing he wouldn't feel content until he was back at Marv's bedside.

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Author's Note: Well, chapter 11 is finally up. It was difficult. I ended up changing a lot of stuff from my original plans for it. I wrote most of this chapter at 1:00 in the morning, believe it or not. But when inspiration hits, you have to write it! Took longer than I expected too, but I'm pleased with how it turned out. Please let me know what you all think! -EricaX


	12. Chapter 12

**Finding Sleep **

**Chapter 12**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing save for Dr. Orellana, Miss Corra, and Dr. Weinberg. They belong to me. **

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Harry walked toward the hospital doors after having thanked Logan once again for the ride over to the Performing Arts Center. It had certainly been kind of him to help him get the job, which, by the sound of it, he had gotten. David had certainly made it sound as though the position was his. Harry then realized that he was practically excited to tell Marv of this news, causing him to walk even faster to the doors.

At this point in time it was heavily snowing and the winds were starting to pick up. Harry pulled the collar of his coat closer around him, missing his old woolen green hat greatly. He also hoped Miss Corra would be able to get him to see someone about those burns like she had promised. His head was certainly starting to hurt and the skin was even more tender now for some reason. He supposed it was because of the lack of attention and care he was giving it. The hot shower he and had Marv had taken earlier that morning probably didn't either, though at the time, his burns had been the last thing on his mind, for he had been too worried about Marv.

Harry walked through the glass doors, pushing them open, and shivered as the warm air from the heating of the hospital began to warm him up. He rubbed his hands together in an attempt to warm them as he glanced around at the waiting area. The same people who had been waiting there when he had left were still there and Harry couldn't help but feel pity for them. He knew what it was like to have to wait on a loved one; especially on Christmas.

Taking of his coat, Harry was about to sit back down at his chair when he saw Miss Corra walk out from the metal door. She wasn't alone though, she was helping an elderly woman with a walker step out into the lobby. The woman's family quickly stood up and rushed to her aide at the sight of her, all saying how glad they were to see her as they helped her through the door. The elderly woman just smiled up at them all, looking like the happiest woman alive to be surrounded by her loved ones.

Harry watched on, a sad smile on his lips. He certainly wished he could be there for Marv. He sighed. He would be there for Marv; he just had to wait for him to wake up first.

Once Miss Corra had seen the lady off with her family, she looked over to see Harry standing there holding his coat. She smiled warmly at him as she walked over. "Did you just get back?" she asked him.

Harry nodded. "Yeah, Logan just dropped me off. I didn't want to stay away from Marv too much though…" he paused, thinking about Marv for a moment before he continued. "Sounds like I have the job."

"Oh, how wonderful!" gushed the blonde nurse. She held her hands together over her chest. Harry nodded and looked away; unsure of what to say next, yet she saved him the trouble of figuring it out by speaking herself. "I'm sorry to say that Marv has still not woken up."

Harry didn't even bother trying to hide the disappointment in his face as his frown deepened and he looked away. Perhaps it was a good thing, since he wanted to be there the very moment he woke up. Now that he was back, he hoped he would be able to stay in Marv's room instead of being stuck in the lobby. He voiced his thoughts to Miss Corra. "Do you think I would be able to see Marv again? Maybe stay in his room instead of being out here?"

Miss Corra gave him a sad frown and shook her head. "Generally we're not allowed to have visitors in the ICU…." She trailed off, knowing Harry wouldn't like her answer.

Harry growled softly, crossing his arms. "Couldn't you make an exception?"

Miss Corra gave him a baffled expression, not sure how to respond. "Harry, if it were up to me, you would never have left his bedside, but rules are rules."

"You let me in earlier! I got to visit with him earlier this morning and you didn't say anything! I didn't get in trouble!" he pointed out to her heatedly. His temper was starting to fire up. He wanted to be with Marv and there was nothing that was going to stop him from doing so. He had just stolen money from a toy store, stolen a police car after knocking out the policeman; he was not about to let sneaking into Marv's room scare him.

Miss Corra could tell that Harry was determined to see Marv and she also knew that by denying him much more would cause her to have a very unhappy, very furious patient on her hands. She had to handle this situation carefully. "Alright, how about this: we make a compromise."

Harry just continued to stare at her coldly, no longer caring how kind and generous she's been to him over the past twelve hours. She was denying him to see Marv, that was worthy of her being hated. "I'm listening."

Miss Corra took in a deep breath before starting her explanation. "I cannot allow visitors to see the patients without their doctor's compliance. In this case, since Dr. Orellana is Marv's doctor, the one who is caring for him, you would need his agreement before you are allowed in. The last time I let you come visit him; that was my doing, I never should have allowed you in, but I did. We got away with that time, but that was unlikely. The compromise is this: You go in and see Dr. Donaldson. She will take a look at the burns on your head and give you some ointment or antibiotics to help heal the burns. Meanwhile, I will go and talk to Dr. Orellana and see what he says about giving you permission to be in Marv's ICU room."

Harry thought over the proposition she had given him. Either way he would win, for he would get to see Marv and he would get his burns checked out. Even if he didn't get to see Marv he still won and he knew he had to do something for the burns anyways. There was simply no way this wouldn't work out for him in some way. He looked up into Miss Corra's soft blue eyes and once again felt guilty for every having snapped at her. She was once again putting herself out there, stepping out and helping him, simply for the sake of doing so.

Harry uncrossed his arms, trying to make it show that he was no longer angry with her. "Sure, that'll work. Sounds good time me." Miss Corra nodded and smiled.

"Alright, great! Now, if you will just follow me, I'll take you in to see Dr. Donaldson. She is on her lunch break, but she eats in her office and she can take a quick look at you."

Harry frowned at this. "Well—Wait, I don't want to bother her during her lunch break!"

"Yes, but she has a line of appointments today and she gets off work at two o'clock. You're best chance to see her is now" the nurse explained to him.

Harry fought back the urge to roll his eyes. It really seemed like he couldn't catch a break around here. He was either making them go out of their way for his sake or he was bothering them at inappropriate times. "What about another doctor? I really don't want to see anyone at their expense. Is there another doctor available?"

Miss Corra took a moment to think of all the doctors who were currently on call. She wracked her brain for several minutes to think of anyone else who could help Harry with his burns. It was then that an idea seemed to strike her as she shook her head. "I believe Dr. Weinberg is in. You could go see him if he's not busy."

Harry gave her a skeptical look. "He's not on break or anything is he? Like I said, I don't wanna be a bother to anyone."

Miss Corra shook her head. "No, no. He just came in an hour ago. Come with me. We'll go see if he's available."

Harry shook his head as she watched her walk off, shaking his head as he started to follow her. He didn't know how he got himself into these messes.

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"Hmmm….That's interesting…." Said the elderly voice of Dr. Weinberg as he looked over Harry's balding head. Harry frowned. That was the fourth time the old doctor had said that and he was starting to get annoyed by it. Why did he keep saying that? What could possibly be so interesting about his burnt head? He didn't get a chance to figure it out, for Dr. Weinberg continued speaking, finally stepping away from Harry and looking him in the eyes.

Harry had been sitting on the hospital bed for the past ten minutes while Dr. Weinberg asked him questions, causing him to re-tell his terrible lie of a story, and checking over the burns on his head. "Those are some nasty burns you have there, sonny. That story of yours seems awfully clumsy. Why a person would put kerosene in such a high place to begin with is beyond me. But, whatever the story is, the results are the same. You have second degree burns on your head and they need to be treated. It's a miracle they haven't already gotten infected after being untreated for so long. You say this happened early last night?"

Harry tried his best to keep his temper down for he had already explained how he had gotten the burns. But he shifted in his spot on the bed instead and tried his best to calm down. All he wanted to do was see Marv, but Miss Corra had yet to show up after leaving him with Dr. Weinberg and he still had to keep up his end of the deal.

"Yeah, it happened last night. That's why they're so fresh" Harry grumbled.

Dr. Weinberg nodded. He was an older doctor, one who looked like he should have retired years ago. He was tall and thin and had short graying hair. For a man his age, he had more hair than Harry had, which only put Harry into a fouler mood at the thought. Perhaps had his hair not been burnt off the last two years he would have more of it. The older doctor wore small spectacles and his brittle hands were cold against Harry's skin.

"Well, you'll have to put some antibiotics on it" he told Harry. "I'll have to prescribe this to you, because you won't be able to find it behind the counter at some drug store."

Harry nodded; he had had no plans of going to a drug store anyways unless it was for something Marv needed. He watched as Dr. Weinberg turned to leave the room. "Be right back" he was told.

Harry sat there and waited for the doctor to come back. He wasn't sure if Dr. Weinberg was going to come back with the antibiotic or not but he just wanted this done and over with. Knowing his luck, by the time he was done with all this, Marv would already be awake, alone, and wondering what had happened. He hated the thought of Marv waking up alone. It didn't help that the Marv from his dream still haunted him. He knew Marv was not the type of person to blatantly point out a person's flaws, nor holds them against him, but his dream had set Harry on edge. The Marv in his dream had confirmed his worst fear; that Marv would blame him for everything and want nothing to do with him after this.

Dr. Weinberg came back into the room with a little slip of paper and he handed it over to Harry. "Now, if you go to the local Drug Store and go to the prescription center, they will have the ointment for you that you will need to put on your burns."

"The Drug Store? Where's that?"

"It's on the corner, here." He answered, putting to the left side of the room. "It's not far away. It's on the same block as the hospital. You could walk there if you wanted, though I wouldn't recommend it in this cold." Harry looked down at the paper before him. It was a slip that explained he was to have this prescription and it had Dr. Weinberg's signature on it. He heard the doctor continue speaking. "They'll be expecting you."

Harry looked up at him, forcing a smile on his lips. "Thank you, Dr. Weinberg. I'll go right now."

Dr. Weinberg smiled at him as he watched Harry walk out of his doctor's office. "It was great meeting you. Good luck with those burns! And Merry Christmas!"

Harry turned back to smile at him, yet he didn't have the heart to say those merry words back to him. There was only one person he wanted to say 'Merry Christmas' to and he was currently unconscious.

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Harry ended up walking to the Drug Store for he didn't feel like risking the chance of seeing another cop at the store and wondering why he was in the car. Nighttime was one thing, but getting into the driver's seat of a police car in broad daylight, especially when you were not a police officer yourself, was not the wisest thing to do.

Dr. Weinberg had not been kidding when he said it was just on the corner of the block. It had only taken him about five minutes to walk there from the lobby entrance of the hospital. Clearly the hospital and drug store worked things out for convenience when patients needed to get their prescriptions.

Even though it was short trip there, there was still a line at the store and it took a while for the clerk to find his prescription. He ended up taking about a half hour before he was finally back in the lobby.

Harry walked back into the lobby that he was now starting to think of as his home since they currently didn't have any other place to stay. He pulled out the prescription lotion that he had been forced to buy for twenty five dollars and looked it over. It was a small plastic white bottle that claimed it was a lotion for burns. He looked over the bottle and read that it was meant specifically for second degree burns caused by kerosene burns. That would explain why any old burn lotion wouldn't have been enough.

Just as the short bandit was putting the bottle back into the bag, Miss Corra walked out into the lobby. She looked even more tired than she had this whole time and it finally dawned on her that her shift was probably coming to an end, seeing as how she had been there for an x amount of time before they had arrived. Though she tired, she still smiled warmly down at Harry.

"Did you get the prescription?" she asked him.

Harry nodded, holding up the bag for her to see. "Just got back. Did you talk to Dr. Orellana about me gettin' to see Marv?"

Miss Corra nodded. "Yes. I just finished speaking with him." Harry looked expectantly at her as he waited for an answer. "He said it would be alright for you to visit and stay in his room. He will let it slide this one time. But don't go bragging it to the other visitors." She giggled at her little joke.

Hearing the news that he would get to see and stay with Marv suddenly had Harry's spirits flying and he even chuckled a bit with her. "No, I wouldn't dream of it."

"Now, like I said, Marv hasn't woken up yet, but he has been a bit rowdy" she informed him.

Harry cocked an eyebrow at her. "Rowdy? What do ya mean, rowdy?"

"Well, he's been shifting a lot in his sleep which means he could be waking up very soon. That's a good sign, for it means he could wake up at any moment."

Harry smiled at her answer. "Great!" He watched as she started heading off to the metal door and before he went to follow her, he knew what he had to say. "Miss Corra?"

Miss Corra turned around to look at him with wide curious eyes. "Yes?"

"Thank you" whispered Harry in a genuine voice. "Really, for everything."

Miss Corra gave him her signature warm smile. "You're welcome, dear. Now follow me. It's time to see Marvin."

Harry didn't need to be told twice as he quickly followed her, feeling better now that he knew he was going to be back at Marv's side. It seemed strange to him that days ago he never would have thought twice about not getting to see Marv. He just always figured Marv would be there at his side because Marv followed him around like a little lost puppy and was always messing up his plans and getting on his nerves. But the last few days in New York, while staying in that hotel, it really occurred to Harry that Marv was actually the one who was putting up with him.

There was a reason why he was still single; why none of his girlfriends ever worked out. There was a reason why so many people found him so unbearable and found him so intimidating. It is because he is an intimidating and sometimes unbearable person to be around. Harry Lyme was a man who said what was on his mind and never thought about the consequences. That put a lot of people off. Not only did Marv put up with him, but he somehow managed to look past his flaws and just shrug them off. That, Harry had learned, was a person he needed to stick close to in his life.

Miss Corra stopped just before the door to Marv's ICU room and looked inside before turning to Harry. The short man pulled off his thick coat before glancing up at the nurse with a smile and walking in through the doors.

His gray steely eyes were focused on Marv alone as he stepped through the threshold. Marv was more or less in the same place and position he had been when he had seen him earlier that morning. He set his coat down on the chair and stepped up next to the grab, immediately grabbing Marv's cold hand. He didn't remember Marv's hand being so cold the last time and a part of him wondered if there was something wrong with him, but Miss Corra seemed to be thinking along the same lines as he for she said, "Yes, his hands are cold. That's nothing to worry about. We noticed that too, but that's common in patients. Don't worry about it." Harry nodded, feeling relieved. "I'm gonna leave you two alone. If you need anything, just press the button on the bedding on the other side of Marv. That will alert one of the nurse's out here."

"Thank you" he called after her as she left the room. He turned his attention back to Marv. He leaned down and gave him a kiss on the forehead. "Hey, Marvin. It's me, Harry. I'm back and waitin' for you to wake up."

He received nothing but silence from Marv. Harry grimaced before grabbing the chair behind him and scooting it closer. He was glad that Marv had not woken without him yet at the same time all he wanted was for Marv to wake up. Miss Corra had stated that Marv was moving in his sleep and could possibly wake up at any moment, so he hoped he wouldn't have too much longer to wait.

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It had only been about a half hour since Harry had come into the room and sat down in his chair. He had pushed the chair closer to the bed so that he could sit next to his tall friend while still holding his hand.

During this time of silence Harry had started to doze off, his eyes getting heavier with sleep. As he sat there with his chin nearly hitting his chest, he felt the cold hand twitch in his own. The movement made Harry flinch, for the entire time he had been there Marv hadn't moved a muscle. Yet the hot tempered man dozed back off, too deep in sleep to take much notice.

However, as the twitches in Marv's hand continued Harry became more awake and aware. The older man opened his eyes and looked up to where their hands were and could see that Marv was in fact moving; not only his hand, but his whole body.

Now fully awake, Harry sat up better in his chair and leaned in closer to Marv's face. "Marv? You wakin' up?"

Instead of silence, Harry received a soft groan in response as Marv's brows knit together in pain and he titled his head towards Harry. Marv continued to shift on the bed, bending his long thin legs up and down under the sheets.

"Marv! Wake up! The surgery is over!" Harry gleefully announced to his sleeping lover. He stood up, holding tighter to Marv's hand.

"I dun wanna…" mumbled Marv in his sleep.

Harry blinked at him, not entirely sure he knew what Marv had said. "Marv! Come on! It's time to get up now!"

"No."

Harry couldn't decide to laugh or be angry at Marv's stubbornness to wake up. He decided to just encourage it. The last thing he wanted to do was have Marv wake up to Harry screaming at him. Marv had just gotten out of brain surgery and he was acting like a little kid refusing to get up to go to school. Harry leaned forward and gave Marv a kiss on the cheek, hoping that would encourage him. "Come on, Marvin. Please."

Marv had flinched ever so slightly from the kiss, but a moment later Harry grinned widely when he saw Marv's infamous silly grin take over his features. "Do that again…" muttered Marv sleepily.

Harry's gold tooth was shining in the light as he answered, "Sorry, Marv. I only give out my kisses to those conscious…"

"Awww…" moaned Marv in protest. The taller man continued to shift as he seemed to fight through the layers of sleep. After what seemed like a decade to Harry, Marv slowly opened his chocolate brown eyes and looked up at the white ceiling.

Harry couldn't help but fear that his one eye was still exploded just like it had been in the dream, but he was relieved to see that it wasn't. Marv's eyes were back to normal.

Marv stared up at the ceiling for half a minute before saying, "Am I dead?"

Harry snorted. "No, Marv, you're not dead!"

"How do you know, Mr. Know-It-All Voice? If I'm not dead, then why do I only see black?" demanded Marv, his voice more clear now that he was awake.

"Because you're starin' at the ceilin' Marv and it's dark in here! The light is turned off for when you wake up!" The only light that was currently in the room was the light coming from the window behind the curtains on the other side of the room. Yet as Harry looked around, it occurred to him that Marv wouldn't be seeing black, he would be seeing more of a greyish color since that was the current color of the room's lighting. Harry felt his stomach turn to ice as his smile vanished and his eyes widened in fear. Did this mean-?

"Marv!" he exclaimed with distress. "Marvin! Look at me! Can you see me! Look at me!"

Marv, completely oblivious to Harry's panic and terror, continued to blankly look at the ceiling as though he hadn't heard him. That didn't make Harry feel any better. If Marv was seeing nothing but black, could that possibly mean that he was blind? Harry felt faint just thinking about it. Now Marv was having trouble hearing him?

"MARVIN!"

Marvin stared intently at the ceiling, and then blinked before scrunching his nose and narrowing his eyes as though he was trying desperately to see something through his eyes. "…..I think there's a fly up there on the ceiling…." Harry blinked at this, his heart stopping; this was too much. Marv finally turned his head to look over at Harry, looking at him as though he was realizing he was there for the first time. "Harry! Hi! When did you get here?"

Harry let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and leaned down against the bed until his forehead was pressed up against Marv's chest. After a moment, he brought himself back up and looked at Marv. "I've been here the whole time, Marv! Waitin' for you to wake up!" he paused before asking. "So, you can see me?"

Marv made a face, finding his question funny. "Of course I can see you, Harry! But have you seen yourself?" He waited a moment, looking Harry over. "You need to shave…"

Harry let out a sigh of relief, shaking his head slightly. It seemed Marv was just as silly and oblivious as always. "Well, for a minute there you were actin' as thought you couldn't see anything!"

Marv sat up a bit and, with Harry's help, managed to sit up into a sitting position as he was propped up against the pillows. Marv winced a bit at the movement but said nothing. Once he was adjusted and comfortable, Marv said, "Well, for a minute there I COULDN'T see anything! Everything WAS black. But then I blinked and my eyesight seemed to come back cause suddenly I could see light and then….well, you."

"So….you were blind for a minute there?" Harry translated.

Marv shrugged. "I guess so. But….my eyesight is back now. So, nothing to worry about, right?"

Harry gave him an unsure expression before looking away. He wouldn't exactly put it that way. He would have to be sure to ask Dr. Orellana about his momentary blindness and make sure there was nothing more serious going on. He hoped it was just a one-time thing after waking up from the surgery.

Harry didn't answer him, instead he changed to the subject. "Well, Marv, you survived brain surgery."

Marv stared at him blankly for a moment before it finally seemed to click. "Oh, yeah! I did, didn't I?" He hesitated a moment, a look of confusion and uncertainly covering his face. "Wait…Surgery?" Marv seemed to wrack his brain trying to put the pieces together as he fiddled with the white sheets he was under. He looked around the room, getting his bearings. His eyes then landed on Harry, who was looking at intensely with love and concern.

Harry waited with baited breath to see what was going on in his lover's mind. It was evident that Marv was confused and Harry wanted to know what confused him. He wondered if Marv even remembered the surgery or why he needed it.

Marv's eyes suddenly widened in fear as he turned to Harry. "Harry, wait! Where are we? Why aren't we in our cells! Oooh! The warden is gonna be upset when he learns we snuck out of our cells again!"

Harry stared at Marv as though the other man had grown an extra head. "Cell? Warden?"

Yet Marv didn't seem to hear him as he slowly started to hyperventilate just like he used to do back in prison whenever they would get punished for not following the rules or wasting too much time doing their chores in the work house. He began panting heavily as he said through his breaths, "Harry! What did we do this time? We have to get back there before the Warden finds us missing! He said he'd separate us and put us in separate cells if we were caught again! Harry! That can't happen! Please don't let that happen!"

During Marv's frightened ramble, Harry was able to figure out what was happening. Marv didn't remember anything from the past week. He remembered what Marv was recalling. It had been a few days before they had escaped from prison. The warden had threatened to separate them if they were caught trying to sneak out again. Marv, of course, had completely freaked out similarly to how he was acting now.

"Ooh, Harry, this is making my head hurt!" whimpered Marv as he pulled his hand out of Harry's own hand and placed both hands over his temples. At his words, Harry jolted into action. He started by taking Marv by the arms and gently prying them from his head. Yet just as he did this, it came to Marv's acknowledgement that his curls were gone. The thinner man snatched his arms back, his eyes now wide, as he ran his hands over his head; feeling the short fine hairs now on his head around the bandages. "Harry! What happened to my hair? The warden didn't chop it all off, did he?" he wailed, now looking to be on the brink of tears. "Harry! What's going on?"

Harry's heart broke at the sight of Marv's complete distress, not knowing where to start. It seemed that their days in New York were completely lost to Marv and he wondered if Marv would ever get those memories back. Just another question he would have to ask Dr. Orellana. Harry ran a hand over his head, trying to keep himself calm as well. It was a lot to take in, even for Harry, who wasn't even the one suffering from memory loss. Not only did he finally get to see Marv wake up, but he nearly had a heart attack when he believed Marv was blind, then he learned he wasn't yet had memory loss. Marv had been depressed the first time he learned that his hair was chopped off, but to have to re-live that was not something Harry had planned on doing.

Harry grabbed Marv's arm again, leaning forward so that he was in Marv's line of sight. "Marv, it's okay. Just calm down…..I'll explain everythin' once you calm down a bit, okay?"

Marv, who was still panting and trying to control his hyperventilation, looked at Harry and nodded, showing that he was listening. Harry waited a moment before he began.

"Alright, first off, we're not in jail anymore…."

Marv froze at this, staring at Harry in disbelief. "We're not?"

"No. We escaped from prison about five days ago."

"We escaped from prison!" cried out Marv triumphantly.

Harry growled at him. "Say that a little louder, Marv, I don't think the guy three floors up in a coma quite heard you!" he snapped sarcastically.

Marv gave him a goofy, apologetic grin, his previous anxieties slowly melting away. He then frowned, looking at Harry. "There is a guy three floors up in a coma?" Harry pinched the bridge of his nose as Marv figured it out. "Oooh, right. Sorry…."

"Anyways" Harry pressed on, letting go of his nose and looking up at Marv. "It took us about two days to get to where we are now. New York. Queens, New York to be exact."

"We're in New York?"

"Yeah. We hitched a ride on a semi-truck full of fish."

"What kind of fish?"

Harry gave him a deadpan expression. "What kinda fish?" he mocked. "Does it matter?"

"…..No."

Harry pressed on, remembering to keep his temper in check and to be patient with Marv. He debated whether or not to go into any further detail. "Long story short, Marv, you slipped on some ice, cracked your skull and you had to have brain surgery. And that's why we're here…"

"Oh….so that's why my head hurts so much…." Marv concluded.

Harry nodded. "Yes, exactly."

"And that explains why….I'm wearing…this…" Marv poked and prodded at the hospital gown he was wearing. "It's not really my color…"

Harry ignored his comments for he was too busy grasping the fact that Marv didn't remember anything from the last few days. He didn't remember them staying in the Plaza Hotel; nor did he remember all their tender intimate moments. Harry frowned at this comprehension: Marv didn't remember their arguments or Harry's promise to be more kind, loving, and sweet to him. It was a conversation he was going to have to have with Marv all over again unless he miraculously remembered.

Harry looked down at the hospital bed, feeling a wave of guilt take over him once again. He had finally come clean to Marv and promised to be kinder to him and show him more affection. Marv finally started to get the love and devotion he deserved and then, thanks to Harry's terrible decision making, he goes and loses his memory, all because he was a greedy bastard who thought he could get away with stealing money from a toy store.

Harry bent his head down, not wanting Marv to know he was fighting back a sob. Marv wouldn't understand if he saw him cry now, especially since he didn't remember anything that had happened. He tried his best not overcome the tears for he wanted to appear strong for Marv until he got better. Thankfully Marv was busy in his own little world as he took a finger and itched the inside of his ear, oblivious to Harry's despair.

"Hmm…ear wax….nasty stuff…" mumbled Marv as he wiped his sticky finger on his nightgown. He glanced over at Harry, who still had yet to look up. "Hey, Harry, are you okay?" Harry didn't reply right away, his shoulders starting to shake. "Harry? Harry, what's wrong? You feel okay?" Marv grabbed hold on Harry's hand which was resting on the bed.

Harry couldn't take much more of this. "No…Marv, I'm not…" his voice was so soft Marv almost didn't hear him.

It was then that Marv realized he was holding back sobs and the taller man quickly acted. He reached his arms around Harry and pulled him close. "Hey, no need to cry, Harry! I'm fine! I may not remember the last few days, but that's not so bad. And my eyesight….it'll get better. It seems okay now!"

Harry shook his head. That wasn't even what he was so upset about and right now he couldn't even begin to explain to Marv the real reason for his sobs. A few minutes went by as Harry calmed himself down; Marv rubbing circles over his back. Marv was the one who had just woken up from brain surgery and here he was being the one comforted. It just proved all the more that he didn't deserve a great guy like Marvin Merchants. Harry got control of his emotions and was finally able to look at Marv. "Thanks, Marv. I…..kinda lost it there…"

Marv nodded understandingly. "It's okay, Harry. Happens to the best of us." He leaned in close to Harry. "I won't let anyone know you cried, you big softy." He teased, he pulled back as though he was waiting for Harry to react and hit him. Harry smiled at him, though it pained him to know that Marv once again thought he would be punched for something like that. He had promised Marv wouldn't do that kind of stuff anymore. "So, how long was I asleep?"

"You had your surgery early this morning. It took several hours to do the whole procedure. You came out of surgery about two hours ago. You just woke up now."

"Wow! I woke up pretty fast then, huh?" Harry nodded. "What did you do the whole time?"

"Well, got somethin' to eat and slept a little and –" Harry suddenly remembered about his job. "Oh! I got myself a job!"

Marv looked at him with wide eyes. "Really? As what, a plumber?"

Harry shook his head. "No, no. Not a plumbin' job. I'm workin' at a theater! I'll be one of the guys who helps load in all the equipment for the shows and bands that come to play."

Marv's eyes lit up with excitement. "Ooh, that sounds neat! So, you'll get to help build the sets and stuff and work with the wardrobe? I wouldn't mind doing that, getting' to see all the neat costumes and dresses!"

Harry shook his head at him with a chuckle. "It's no wonder why you're gay, Marvin…."

"Hey!" defended Marv. "There is no reason why a man cannot enjoy fine clothes! And I am bi for your information! I like both men AND women!"

Harry wouldn't deny that, remembering all the times Marv had tried hopelessly to impress a woman and failing miserably. He then remembered their argument in the restaurant the other night and it was all the more reason for Harry to feel guilty. Marv couldn't remember what had taken place that night and how they had finally resolved the problems with their flirting and jealousy.

Marv continued to fiddle with the sheets, looking at Harry's solemn expression. Something seemed different about Harry and he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Harry didn't seem the same as he remembered him. Perhaps he was suffering from more memory loss? It had to be that, because it was impossible for Harry to have changed that much in just the last few days. What could have possibly have happened that would make Harry change that quickly? The short tempered man hadn't even whacked him on the shoulder or arm like he normally would after calling him a softy. That was strange in itself.

As though to confirm his strangeness towards Marv, Harry leaned in close and gave a surprised Marv a kiss. The kiss was not unwelcomed, the once curly haired man greedily returned the kiss, but it was unexpected. Harry was not the type of guy to openly show him affection like that.

Harry must have realized Marv's suspicion and curiosity when he broke the kiss and looked into his eyes, for he said, "A lot has changed the last few days, Marv…"

Marv nodded. "Apparently. You never give me kisses like that! Plus, I don't have my curls anymore!" he pouted and once again ran a hand over his head. "I'm almost as bald as you are now, Harry!"

Harry grunted indignantly at his comment, yet said nothing more on the matter. "Yeah, well, I made a promise to you the other day….Promising that I would….try to be more open and affectionate with you…..And I'm a guy who keeps his promises!"

Marv grinned at this. "Wow! Those must have been a great few days!"

Harry grimaced, remembering the negative points of the last few days, mainly the arguments and the evening prior when they were bombarded with traps from that brat of a kid. He figured it would be best to save that story for later when Marv was feeling better. He didn't want to dwell on the night before just yet. He was still recovering himself.

Harry was brought out of his thoughts as long thin fingers wound themselves around Harry's shirt collar. "Harry, come here…" Marv said sleepily, his eyes starting to droop a little. Marv may have woken up, but he was still tired from the surgery and the sedative he had been given was still in his body. He pulled Harry gently, urging him to come closer.

Harry grabbed hold of Marv's hand, trying to pry it off. "I AM here, Marv!" Marv let go of his collar and patted the empty mattress space beside him. It was then that Harry finally understood what he wanted. "There's not enough space! It's a small bed!"

"Please, Harry?"

Harry sighed, knowing he would never be able to say no to that. Marv's voice was soft and quiet now as he started to get more tired. He inched closer to the bed, figuring out how he was going to do this. He hitched his right leg up onto the bed near Marv's shoulders so that he was half sitting on the bed. Marv moved over slightly to give him more room. Harry was half sitting on the bed, his left leg dangling on the side. It was more comfortable than Harry would have guessed. Marv then shifted closer so that he could place his head on Harry's chest. Harry wound his arm around Marv's shoulders and rested his hand on his head, slowly stroking the small fine hairs on it.

Miss Corra found the two like this about a half hour later, both of them still awake but in a dozed daze. She smiled as she walked in on them. Harry, of course, tensed up when he saw her walk in, but Marv just pressed himself closer to Harry so that he wouldn't leave.

"Hello, you two" she greeted before turning her attention to Marv. "Marvin! It's wonderful to see you awake!" Marv nodded. "How do you feel?"

"Alright, I guess. My head hurts a bit….and I'm sleepy…"

Miss Corra nodded. "Yes, your head is going to be tender for the next few days. But let us know if the pain worsens, for if that happens we may have to give you more x-rays and check to make sure the swelling doesn't start back up. It shouldn't, but just in case."

Harry and Marv both nodded. "Do you know when Dr. Orellana will be in to see him?" was Harry's next question.

Miss Corra nodded. "He's on his way, actually. I just saw him coming down the hallway—" She turned to the doorway just in time to see Dr. Orellana step in. "Oh, here he is now!"

Dr. Orellana walked in with a smile on his lips. He looked down at Marv, a clipboard in his hands as he was prepared to take any notes if needed. "Hello, Marvin. How are you feeling today?"

"Tired….and my head hurts a bit….but she said that's normal…." He pointed to Miss Corra, not knowing her name.

Dr. Orellana nodded as he looked over the papers on his clipboard. "Yes, it will be tender. Did you wake up alright?"

"I guess so…."

"I mean, did you have any problems waking up? Any problems with vision or hearing-?"

Harry spoke up before Marv could answer. "He did have trouble seeing when he first woke up. Said he couldn't see anything but black."

Dr. Orellana nodded. "Is this true, Marvin?"

Marv nodded. "Yeah, but then I blinked and it came back to me…"

The doctor nodded. "It might be that your visual cortex, which is at the base of your skull, was effected slightly from the damage. Since you are able to see now, I don't believe there is any reason for worry; however, I do want you to keep an eye on that. If you have any more kind of vision problems I want you to let me know immediately, because we may have to have some more x-rays taken and make sure there is nothing more serious wrong. If we're lucky, it was simply a side effect from the surgery."

"What is the visual cortex?" inquired Harry.

"The visual cortex is what sends messages to your brain from your eyes. It's what allows your brain to process and see what your eyes are seeing." The doctor continued when he saw the blank expressions on Harry and Marv's faces. "Think of it this way, you're eyes are a projector screen. The visual cortex is like an electrical cable that is able to turn on that projector. When the visual cortex is damaged, you are no longer able to see the image on that projector. When Marv first woke up, it took a moment for that visual cortex to respond. That could be a one-time thing, or it could happen all the time. Like I said if it continues to happen or gets any worse, please let me know immediately."

Harry nodded before Marv could sleepily respond. "We will."

"Now, Marvin, is there anything else troubling you?"

Marv nodded. "Yeah, apparently I can't remember the last few days…."

Harry frowned down at Marv, hoping he wouldn't say too much and let it slip that he only remembered back to before they were in jail. The last thing he needed was Dr. Orellana and Miss Corra finding out about them just like in his dream. He held onto Marv tightly, grasping his hand a little tighter than he needed to. Marv winced at it as the doctor and nurse were busy talking. Harry just hoped Marv understood his message.

Dr. Orellana looked up just as harry stopped clenching Marv's hand. "So, you're suffering from a bit of memory loss? Is it just from the last couple of days that you can't remember?"

Marv took a moment to think about that, his head still resting on Harry's chest. He slowly shook his head with a shrug. "I don't know. I have lots of memories. Some of which I'm not even sure are real or just dreams….I'm pretty sure the time I remember speaking to an octopus was a dream…."

Harry rolled his eyes.

Marv continued. "But I don't think I'm forgetting anything else…." He paused for a moment, then his eyes widened, "Wait a minute! My great aunt's birthday! I can't remember my great aunt's birthday!"

Dr. Orellana and Miss Corra blinked at him with a look of surprise on their faces as Harry snapped at him, "You don't HAVE a great aunt!"

Marv's eyes widened at the recollection. "Oh….That would explain why I can't remember it…"

"Is it….common for him to be so….." began Dr. Orellana, searching for the right word.

"Confused? Baffled? Disorganized?" offered Harry. "Yeah….it is."

"Hey!" cried out Marv in defense.

"Give it a rest, Marv. You know it's true…."

Marv pouted a bit and slunk further into the bed, knowing it was a loss cause to try and argue.

"Well, then, I'm glad to hear everything is going alright. Your memory will probably come back to you within the next few days. And it seems that even if it doesn't, the memory loss isn't too terrible. Simply a few days, you are lucky" pressed on Dr. Orellana. "I would like to keep you here on bed rest for a few days just to make sure everything is alright. We'll keep an eye on your vision."

Harry nodded, silently grateful. He didn't like the fact that Marv was in the hospital, but it was currently giving them a place to stay while Harry found them a real place. He would have to start looking for an apartment for them to live in. Thankfully they still had the money from the Toy Story charity to help pay for it.

Dr. Orellana and Miss Corra said their goodbyes and told them they would be back later to check to see how he was doing, leaving the two bandits by themselves. Harry glanced down at Marv, who was looking even sleepier now. "Good job, Marv. You didn't say anything too stupid."

"Like what?"

"Oh, I don't know….Like mentioning that we just broke out of prison or robbed a toy store!"

"Oh…..wait….we robbed a toy store?"

Harry jolted, remembering that Marv didn't remember that bit. "It's a long story, Marv. I don't wanna get into it."

Marv yawned, pushing himself closer to Harry. "That's okay. I don't wanna hear it…." Marv settled down deeper into Harry's chest, listening to his lover's heartbeat. After a moment he said in a half-asleep voice, "You're not pushing me away Harry…..Like you normally would… When I would try doing this…."

Harry frowned, looking away at the white walls of the room. He pulled Marv closer. "No, Marv, I'm certainly not…."

The two of them stayed like that for the rest of the afternoon, content with just being there with each other. Marv eventually fell asleep, yet Harry stayed awake, propped up against the fluffy white pillow behind him. For once he was happy to hear the light snores coming from Marv, for it reminded him that Marv made it through the surgery okay. It made him nervous that his eyesight was a bit sketchy and he lost a small bit of his memory, but he figured things could have turned out so much worse. He was just grateful he still had his Marvin.

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	13. Chapter 13

**Finding Sleep **

**Chapter 13**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing save for Dr. Orellana, Miss Corra, Logan, Alice, and other characters at the Performing Arts Center. They belong to me. **

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Harry flipped the next page of the newspaper he was currently reading as he his feet were propped up on Marv's bed. He was sitting in his chair next to Marv, deeply engrossed in the Escrow section of the paper.

Marv had been sleeping for the last hour and instead of sitting there waiting for Marv to wake up; Harry thought it best if he grabbed a newspaper and became familiar with the local area. Not only that, but Harry knew they wouldn't have the luxury of living in the hospital forever. Marv was eventually going to be well enough to be released and then he and Marv would be back on the cold streets before they could even blink without a place to stay. Harry had had enough cold already and he refused to be a useless bum living on the street.

They weren't left helpless this time either, they did still have the money they had stolen. Harry had yet to get the chance to privately count and go through all the money that was currently in the bag sitting next to him on the tiled floor. He only had a guesstimate as to how much they had stolen, and judging by that guess alone, they had plenty of money to buy themselves an apartment and live off it for a while with just that money alone. Not to mention the money Harry would be earning once he started working full time at the Performing Arts Center.

It had been two days since Marv had woken up and Harry had been introduced to the world of the theater. Logan had informed him that he would let his Aunt Corra know when the next All Call was so that she could let him know. Harry didn't have the luxury of a phone; otherwise he wouldn't need to bother with Miss Corra.

Marv shifted in his sleep, mumbling something. Harry ignored him as he continued reading the paper. He was used to Marv mumbling odd things in his sleep.

"Nhn….No…No! Not the killer bunnies! Please!" mumbled Marv in his sleep.

This time, Harry couldn't help but bend the paper back so that he could raise an eyebrow at his lover. Marv was known to say strange things in his sleep and having even stranger dreams, but that was the most random, most ridiculous thing Harry had ever heard him say. After watching Marv settle back into his sleep and get comfortable, he went back to reading the newspaper, shaking his head.

He looked through the apartment listings and looked to see what was available for them. He wanted a nice place, since, for once, they could actually afford it. He shuddered at the memory of the run down beaten apartment they had lived in back in Chicago. That place had had very little heating and even less water pressure. Yet, at the time, that had been the only place Marv and he could find besides living on the streets, which was entirely out of the question.

Harry had truly enjoyed staying at the Plaza hotel and hoped that, with the money they stole, they would be able to live a life very similar to that. Marv had been so happy while staying there and Harry had quite enjoyed himself as well. They would enjoy it all the more if they didn't have a heist to plan or a kid to worry about every step they took.

Marv yawned hugely in his place on the bed, stretching his long thin arms and legs out on the bed as sleep escaped him. Seeing that he was about to wake, Harry folded up the paper and set it aside. He was curious if Marv would have the same problem with his eyesight that he did the last time.

For the past two days, every time Marv woke up he was blind for the first minute or so before his vision returned to him. Dr. Orellana had told them that if the problem continued, they would have to run more tests on Marv to see exactly what was causing this. While Harry was glad that there might be a way to fix it, he didn't like the idea of Marv having to have more tests done on him. He just wanted this done and over with so that they could go about with their lives already.

Marv groaned and looked around himself while Harry waited for baited breath. "It's dark in here" Marv said. He was never able to remember that he woke up blind. Harry grimaced, not liking this answer.

"You can't see anything, Marv?" he asked.

Marv flinched at the closeness of Harry's voice, turning to look at him. Harry looked into Marv's eyes and tried to remember that Marv couldn't actually see him at the moment. His eyes weren't seeing anything.

"No…"

Harry sighed, looking away. He stood up from his chair and leaned in closer to Marv. "Try blinking a lot. Dr. Orellana said that might help get the visual cortex to respond."

"The visual what?"

"Cortex, Marv! Ya ask me this every time! Can't you remember?"

"It's a strange word."

Harry shook his head.

Marv did as Harry told him and blinked rapidly for a few moments before finally he exclaimed happily, "Hey! I can see again!" The taller man glanced around the room, looking at it with wide eyes as though it was the first time he was seeing the room.

Harry gave him a small smile, patting him on the back. He frowned though as he watched Marv start to climb off the bed. "And where do ya think you're goin'?" demanded Harry. "The doctor wants you on bed rest!"

"I have to pee!" retorted Marv, ignoring Harry's concern. Marv was still wearing the light green and white hospital gown that they had put him in after his x-rays two day ago. "I miss wearing normal clothes…"sighed Marv as he remembered to pull down the back of his gown after he stood up. They had given him a pair of white boxers to where underneath his gown, but that still didn't comfort Marv too much. He was wearing socks as well, so the cold tiles of the floor didn't bother him.

Marv was a bit unsteady on his feet yet and Harry watched him like a hawk as he stepped over to the bathroom which was on the other side of the room. The once curly haired man used the bed to support himself, having been standing on his own very little the last few days. The only time he was standing was when he needed to use the restroom. Harry forced himself not to walk over there and hold Marv's hand as he walked, for he still remembered how angry and embarrassed Marv had gotten when he had done it the first time and he did not want a repeat of that.

Finding nothing else to do, Harry sat back down on the chair and got the newspaper out to read again as Marv shut the bathroom door behind him. He went back to looking at the apartment listings, comparing prices.

Harry was startled out of his thoughts a few minutes later though when he heard a commotion in the bathroom.

"Ahhhhhhh!" he heard Marv scream in fright.

Harry's eyes went wide as he tossed the newspaper aside, not bothering to fold it properly and went straight for the door. "Marv!" he shouted. He didn't bother knocking and simply burst through the door to see what was wrong. He stopped in mid-step when his eyes landed on Marv.

Marv was currently pressed up against the far left side of the small bathroom, opposite of the white porcelain sink and mirror. He was staring at the sink in complete horror, trembling ever so slightly.

Harry's frown deepened as he tried to figure out what had Marv so frightened. Had he seen a spider or something? He knew Marv had a deep fear of spiders, especially after the kid had dropped one on his face the year before. He glanced back and forth between the sink and Marv before finally asking, "What? What's wrong?"

"The sink….."whispered Marv.

"…Yeah…What about it?" As he waited for Marv to answer, Harry looked over the sink. There was nothing special about it; just two handles, one for hot and one for cold, and a faucet itself. A very standard sink; one that didn't have a spider anywhere on it. "It's just a sink, Marv."

Marv ignored Harry and looked down at his hands. He could picture himself grabbing hold of the handles to the sink, trying to turn on the water, only to receive painful bursts of electricity running through his body. He flinched at the memory he didn't understand. He couldn't remember where this memory was coming from. Marv blinked and came back to reality, seeing Harry at the door in his peripheral vision. "Shocked. I got shocked."

Harry's eyebrow's knit together in confusion. "When? Just now?"

Marv shook his head. "No….I don't….know when. I can't really remember…But….it was painful." He continued to stare at his hands. "I can still feel the pain of it….Like it just happened recently."

It finally clicked with Harry what was going on. Marv was remembering something that happened to him on Christmas Eve when they were being tortured by the little McCalister kid. In their rush, the two of them had never gotten the chance to share with each other exactly what all had happened to them in that building of horror. It seemed that one of the tricks the boy had played was that when Marv went to wash his hands, why he was doing that to begin with was a mystery to Harry, he had gotten electrocuted instead. Harry's eyes widened at the realization and couldn't help but wonder how long Marv had held onto the handles and how much electricity had surged through him before he had managed to let go. It was a miracle Marv was still alive, he guessed.

Marv finally turned his attention to the shorter bandit. "Harry, why am I remembering this? When did this happen?"

Harry shook his head. He hadn't told Marv yet about their fiasco with the McCalister kid and he hadn't planned to until Marv was fully recovered. He wondered if now would be the proper time to tell him. Harry grabbed hold of Marv's hand, guiding him back out of the bathroom and into the hospital bed. Marv sat down on the bed, but didn't lie down, much to Harry's chagrin. Marv just sat there and waited for an answer.

"Marv, like I said, ya don't remember those few days we were here in New York before ya passed out and had to be taken here. Ya WERE shocked. I'm not entirely sure how, but…ya were. Ya must have been rememberin' that…"

"I got shocked by a sink?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders, his guess being as good as Marv's. "I guess so." Now that Harry thought about it, he did remember Marv being awfully twitchy after they finally caught up with each other that night. Perhaps that had been the result of the electrocution. Harry now had a whole new reason to want to kill the little kid who had done this to them. "Look, Marv, we'll talk about this later, okay?"

Marv gave him a skeptical look, not understanding why Harry was being so nice to him. It wasn't that he didn't love it; Harry was finally being nice to him. But it was all so sudden and it caught the lanky man off guard. His voice was different, so much softer than the gruff harshness he was used to have. Marv didn't say anything on the matter though, for at that moment, Dr. Orellana walked in with Miss Corra following. Harry and Marv looked to the door and watched them come in.

"Hello Marvin. Hello Harry. How you are both doing today?" greeted Dr. Orellana.

Harry didn't say anything, knowing his question was more focused on Marv than him. Marv replied quickly, "I'm fine." Harry rolled his eyes. Marv was far from fine.

The doctor nodded. "And how is your eyesight?"

"I can see you perfectly fine."

"He meant: did ya wake up to blindness. And the answer to that question is 'yes'. He did" intervened Harry.

Marv frowned. "Yeah, I did wake up to blindness again."

Dr. Orellana frowned at this with a sigh. "I was hoping that was only going to be a temporary thing, but I fear that there might be more damage that we're not aware of yet. I would like to run another x-ray on you and if I have to, I'll even run a cat scan on you to make sure there is no other trauma throughout your body."

"What do cats have to do with anything?" inquired Marv curiously.

Harry rolled his eyes and shook his head, not bothering to explain it to him. He was too busy on the idea that Marv would be having more tests done on him. "Do ya really think it's that serious of a problem that you need to run more tests?"

Dr. Orellana gave him a grim expression. "Well, what I fear is that if there is damage to the visual cortex, there could very well be more damage to other parts of his brain. Marv has yet to show any other signs of pain or problems, but that doesn't mean there might not be more there."

Marv groaned, finally kicking his long legs up onto the bed and properly laying down in it. Harry didn't feel any better about the situation. "Alright. Well, when will he be havin' these tests done?"

"I am hoping this afternoon sometime. At the latest: tomorrow morning. I would like to have these tests taken as soon as possible, but if you are not up to it today—"

Marv interjected, much to the surprise of everyone. "Let's do it today. I just want to figure out what's wrong with me." He said this quietly as he glanced over at Harry, giving the shorter bandit an unreadable expression and making the other man give him a look of confusion.

Dr. Orellana nodded. "Good attitude" praised the dark haired doctor. He stepped closer to the door. "I shall go and see when the best time for the tests will be and I will be in to check on you later."

"Thank you" said both Harry and Marv, watching the doctor leave.

Miss Corra however, had stayed where she was and Harry gave her a questioning look. She smiled warmly at him. "Hi. I just wanted to let you know Harry, that there is an All Call today at two 'o'clock. Logan will be coming to pick you up if you want to go."

Harry wasn't entirely sure if he wanted to go or not, because by leaving, he would be leaving Marv all by himself during the testing. Yet at the same time, he knew he had to get as much experience in as he could before the big shows started to come in the first week of January. He glanced over at Marv, who shrugged. "It's up to you, Harry. I don't care. It's your job now, you should go."

Marv was still giving him that strange look as he said this and it made Harry feel uneasy. Yet at the same time he was impressed by the logic in Marv's words. He turned to Miss Corra. "Thank you. Yeah, I'll go."

Miss Corra nodded with a smile. "Alright then, I'll leave you two alone." Without another word, she left the room, leaving Harry and Marv to themselves once more.

Stepping closer to the bed, Harry demanded, "What was with the look there, Marv?"

"What look?"

"That look! The look you're givin' me now! Ya look pissed off at me or somethin'?" he accused. "What'd I do?"

"More like what you didn't do, Harry" retorted Marv.

"What?"

"Harry, I really wish you would tell me what happened to us those few days I don't remember" he saw that Harry was about to say something and quickly continued. "—Don't think I haven't noticed, Harry! I didn't just fall on the ice! Something more happened!"

"Marv—"tried Harry with a sigh.

"If all I did was fall on the ice, then how come I have bruises all over me?" insisted Marv. He quickly showed Harry his arm by raising it up for the shorter man to see. "And scratches! I have scratches on me too, Harry!" Harry's eyes widened at the sight before him. Marv's arms were indeed covered in bruises and scratches and his mind wheeled as he wondered how he had not noticed this fact until now. Marv continued, "And don't think I haven't noticed the burns on your head, Harry! Miss Corra gave you stuff to put on it! I've seen you go in the bathroom to put it on. How did you burn your head again, Harry? The burns on your head haven't bothered you for months! Why are they bothering you now?"

Harry took in a deep breath, trying to figure out the best place to start. He had not expected Marv to notice all those things. It wasn't that he thought Marv was stupid, it was just Marv was not the most observant person in the world. He was truly impressed Marv had put all of this together. Perhaps the bump on his head had done him a little good or maybe Harry was just losing his touch at hiding things. He guessed it was the latter of the two.

"Marv, there was some more stuff that happened to us in those few days, but I haven't told ya yet because I was waitin' for you to get better before I told ya."

"Why wouldn't you want me to know, Harry? I have a right to know! I just had to have brain surgery! I should be able to know!"

"I thought it would be best—"

"Who are you to decide what's best for me, Harry? Who says you get to decide something like that?"

Harry stared at Marv, flabbergasted. He could feel his blood begin to boil and his temper start to flare up. Marv wanted to know the truth, but the truth was too much for him to handle right now, and he knew Marv wouldn't let this go easily; he would keep pecking at him for information until he finally got it. His frown deepened. He pointed to himself as he glared at Marv, who was staring back at him with hurt and anger. "Who am I to decide? Oh, I'm just the guy who's been takin' care of your sorry ass!" Marv flinched at the harshness in his voice, expecting Harry to hit him, yet when nothing came, he looked back up at Harry.

Harry saw his flinch and inwardly winced; knowing Marv was used to him hitting him at this point. But he refused to do that this time. He's changed and he was going to prove it. He pressed on just as strongly. "I'm just the guy who wants to protect you! Don't ya get it, ya dummy? I LOVE you! I would do anything for ya! I would walk through fire; walk on broken glass for ya. I would sit out in the middle of a blizzard and freeze to death if it meant ya would be safe! I would do…..anything….to keep you safe…"

Marv's anger slower vanished as Harry's words sunk in. He could feel himself tearing up as he looked back at his lover. "You hate blizzards…." He mumbled. Harry nodded for emphasis. "You'd really sit through one for me?"

Harry nodded. "I would if it meant you'd be safe. And right now, the best way to keep you safe is to keep the past couple of days to myself. You seem to have been rememberin' a bit earlier, maybe I won't have to tell ya. But, Marv, believe me when I say this: Ya don't want to remember what happened."

Marv frowned. "Was it really that bad?"

"Not all of it, but….some of it…" Harry answered him honestly.

Marv looked down into his lap, fiddling with his hands. His anger towards Harry was now completely gone since he had heard his argument. It was sweet that Harry was trying to keep him from the pain; a very sweet thing of Harry to do. Something that Harry would never have done in the past. He glanced up at Harry almost timidly, seeing that his lover was standing right next to the bed where he had been for the last twenty minutes. "You say….not all of it was bad. And earlier you said that there were some good times where you said you made a promise to be more gentle and affectionate. Can you…..tell me about that stuff?"

"Marv—"

"No, I get it! Don't tell me about the bad stuff! Just…..could you tell me some of the good stuff that happened? I've seen a change in you Harry, and I've been dying to know what happened that would make you change so much!"

Harry considered it; he knew Marv wouldn't leave him be until he got his way. Marv was like a little kid who pestered him until he got what he wanted. It was what made Marv so endearing at the end of the day…..and annoying…. Harry took in a deep breath. He owed Marv that much. He supposed there was nothing wrong with telling Marv about the good times they had shared during the past few days, so long as he was careful to leave out anything to do with the gun, running into the McCalister kid, and the traps they had suffered through. Marv would still question certain things, but perhaps it would satisfy his curiosity until he was fully recovered and it would give Harry more time to think up some lies. He didn't want to tell Marv the truth. He wanted to keep it from him, no matter what.

Harry scratched the back of his neck as he made his final decision. "Alright, I can do that."

Marv beamed at this, his brown eyes sparkling. He grabbed hold of Harry's hands and pulled him closer, leaning in as well. "Thanks, Harry!" He leaned in and gave Harry a kiss on the lips, pulling back a moment later as though he was expecting Harry to push him away, yet he was happily surprised when Harry did no such thing. Feeling encouraged, he leaned in and kissed the short tempered man once more, this time being sure to deepen it.

This time when they pulled back Harry said, "You wanna hear the story or keep playin' tonsil tennis?"

Marv grinned goofily at the idea. "A bit of both, actually…" he whispered, pulling Harry closer to the bed and silently beckoning him sit down next to him. Harry didn't need to be told twice. He was just glad Marv wasn't mad at him anymore and was willing to let go the fact that he couldn't remember some of the stuff that had happened. It was only fair that Marv knew some of it; it was his life memories they were talking about, after all.

The two of them sat next to the bed and kissed for a while before Harry started the story of what had taken place at the Plaza Hotel, remembering to leave certain things out.

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It was later in the day when Miss Corra came back into the room. Harry and Marv were peacefully resting on the bed after Harry had told Marv the stories of them in the Plaza Hotel. He had been sure to keep a good portion of it to himself though and was sure to edit out anything that would get Marv suspicious. But Marv had quite enjoyed the stories he had shared and a couple of times asked Harry to repeat some of the more intimate moments with him. Harry was sure to remind him that in order to do that, they would have to be out of the hospital and away from prying eyes.

Harry woke at the sound of her heels stepping into the room. He blinked at her a few times before his vision came back to him. He yawned and stretched, noting that Marv was still asleep. "Hey" he greeted sleepily.

"Hello, Harry. I didn't mean to wake you, but Logan is here to pick you up for work if you're still willing to go" she told him.

Harry frowned; he had forgotten about work. He glanced at Marv who was stretching and slowly waking up himself. He didn't want to leave Marv, especially since he would be having some tests done while he was gone. Marv turned to him, rubbing at some of the bandages still wrapped around his head. "What, Harry? It's okay if you go to work. I won't mind."

"They're going to be running some more tests on ya" Harry reminded him. "Ya don't need me here?"

Marv shook his head. "I'll be okay. I know Dr. Orlana and Miss Coral. They'll be here for me."

Harry looked to Miss Corra, who gave him a sheepish smile in return. "He will be fine, Harry. The tests won't last long either. He'll probably be sleeping by the time you come back. Logan said the All Call is only two to five."

Harry nodded. "Alright, Marv. I'll go." He leaned in to give Marv a kiss, once again ignoring the fact that they weren't alone. Each time he did this it was getting easier and easier to kiss Marv in front of people. "I'll be back soon."

Marv nodded and settled himself back into the soft pillows. "Good luck at work, Harry!"

Harry didn't say anything, feeling emotion coming over him that made it impossible to talk. He really didn't want to leave Marv, especially while they were testing on him. It was just like when he was in surgery the first time he went into work. He didn't want to leave Marv alone.

He turned around and grabbed his coat from the chair behind him, making sure to push the bag full of money further under the chair and out of sight. Thankfully Marv was in a private room; otherwise he wouldn't have the luxury of knowing it was safe for the time being. He gave Marv a final kiss goodbye before walking out the door to find Logan in the lobby.

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Logan had picked Harry up just like he had promised and the two had quickly made their way to the Performing Arts Center. On the way there it was clear to Logan that something was on Harry's mind for he was not nearly as talkative as he had been the first day he met him; though Harry tried his hardest to make the best of it.

"So, how ya doin' today, kid?" asked Harry more out of politeness than anything else.

Logan shrugged as he pulled into the parking lot of the Performing Arts Center. "Not too bad. Wish we didn't have to work so much during the holidays, but eh….what can you do?"

Harry nodded, though it wasn't the reason of the holiday that made Harry wish he didn't have to work. "What is the All Call for?"

"We're setting up for two shows actually. First off, we'll be setting up for the Holiday Philharmonic that will be playing tomorrow night. Then we have a show on January 3rd, but I forget which one it is…."

Harry honestly didn't care what show was playing or which show they were prepping for, he just wanted to get his work done and get back to Marv as soon as possible. They stepped out of the truck, both tightening the collar of their coats as a frosty wind ran through them. They walked to the back entrance to the Performing Arts Center and walked through the metal door that was beside the loading dock.

They both shivered once they were out of the cold and into the warmth of the building. Logan walked up and swiped his card in so that he could get paid. Logan looked back at Harry as he took off his blue jacket. "David should be getting you a card here soon so that you swipe in. For now, just remind him that you worked these hours."

Harry nodded, making note of it. He shrugged off his own coat, leaving him in just the gray shirt and pants he had stolen from the store several nights ago. Logan led him to the storage room, showing him where the crew members were allowed to keep their stuff. He dropped his coat on the rack and walked out with Logan to the stage where he could see a group of people standing around David.

"Looks like we got here just in time; things are just starting" Logan informed him as they made their way over.

Harry stepped up to where the group was, taking time to look around at those around him. There was a variety of crew members there, just like last time. He walked up and stood next to a woman with dark wavy hair. She was wearing a purple t-shirt and jeans. Everyone seemed to be wearing t-shirts and jeans. The man on his left was taller than him, but stockier. He looked as though he could easily be a football coach. There were several other men around the circle of people who looked to be the same build as Harry only taller. Harry did feel a bit more blended in when he took notice of an older man who was the same height and build as he was. It was nice knowing he wasn't the only short male around. There was also a variety of women workers. The dark haired woman to his right looked to be somewhere in her thirties while the woman beside her looked to be closer to her fifties. Then were several younger girls who were clearly still in college.

Harry didn't get any more time to look at his fellow workers for David, who was standing downstage of them all, started talking. "Alright, everybody, if I could get your attention please!" All eyes were now on David. Seeing that he had everyone's attention, he started off by saying, "Okay, this is how today is going to go. We ARE setting up for the philharmonic today, but first; we need to prep the lights for Dance Recital that's coming in a few days. So, if someone could bring in the first, second, and third electrics that would be great."

Harry watched as the shorter man and another guy walked over to the far left side of the stage and started working with long ropes that were connected to heavy weights. Logan leaned down to him and whispered, "That's the low bridge. That's what brings the line sets in and out."

Before Logan could say anymore, the shorter man called out, "First electric, coming in!"

There was a collection of people who called out "Thank you" to his call.

"Look up" advised Logan. Harry looked up and watched as one of the line sets came down from high above. It was the first time Harry had looked up and noticed all that was hanging above them. "There are thirty-seven line sets. Some have lights, some have scrims, some have the orchestra ceilings, and some have curtains or legs…"

"Legs?" inquired Harry as he wrinkled his nose.

"Curtains, only they only go along the sides. They don't come all the way over. We call them the 'Legs'" explained Logan. Harry looked up once more and saw that the first electric was now at eye level and stopped at the height of Harry's shoulders.

David chose that moment to start speaking once again as the other electrics were being brought in. "It's a simple layout. We basically just have to change some pars with parnels….and change some of the gels."

"Pars? Parnels?" was Harry's next question. This place made him confused. He distantly heard the other guys call out the second and third electrics were coming in and he watched them come down from above.

"Those are different types of lights. Relax, you'll get it once we get started" Logan assured him, crossing his arms confidently. Harry certainly wished he could share that optimism. It didn't help that his mind kept going back to Marv and wondering if they were doing the tests on him yet. Marv had seemed so calm and relaxed when he had left; he just wished Harry could feel the same way. It didn't help that he was constantly wondering if anyone had found the bag of money he was keeping under his chair in Marv's room.

Harry really didn't pay much more attention to anything else David said, his own mind too wrapped up on his own thoughts. This was the last place he wanted to be and he simply couldn't get himself to focus. He ran a hand nervously over his head, minding his burns. He was surprised no one had asked him about it yet; perhaps they were polite enough to just shrug it off as known of their business.

David had instructed several people to work on a line set, moving and replacing lights. The first thing they needed to do was strip all the cables and unplug everything. Harry watched with interest as Logan unplugged everything, and untied all the cables from the line set. What Harry found so interesting about it was that the cables were being held up by shoe laces. He smirked as he remembered the one time Marv had insisted that a tying a shoelace to one of the broken pipes they had been fixing would fix the problem. Marv had insisted that the pipe just needed to be held up better to keep it from leaking, though at the time, Harry didn't want to listen. In the end, it turned out Marv had been right, that had been the problem. The pipe had been scraping on the pipe below it, causing a leak. Once the leak was fixed, they tied it up with construction wire to make sure it stayed in place.

It didn't take long for Harry to get into the grove of what was happening. Once all the cables were stripped and unplugged, it was simply a matter of replacing the lights that needed replaced. He watched as two men brought in a large, tall cart that held all the lights that weren't being used. He quickly learned that each one was labeled and he quickly found himself a par, which Logan said was needed to replace the parnel.

With a grunt, Harry placed the light on the line set, making sure it was on properly. There was a large clamp that went around the pipe of the line set and it was screwed on tightly with a wrench. Harry had grabbed a wrench in the storage room after Logan had showed him where to find them. Logan, who was working beside him, spoke up, "Hey, be right back. I'm gonna go get some measuring tape. David wants these to be 18 inches apart and I want to make sure to do it right."

"Fine by me, kid" Harry said gruffly. He tightened the screw one last time before feeling satisfied that the light was on tight enough before moving on to the next one.

It was then that female voice broke into his thoughts. "Excuse me, sir?" Harry turned to the voice to see that it was the dark wavy haired woman he had been standing next to earlier. "Hi, my name is Alice. You must be new."

Harry smiled at her, his gold tooth shining slightly in the light. "I'm Harry."

"Hi, Harry." She glanced down at the light he had just placed on the line set then noticed the last few he had put up. "You're doing this wrong by the way."

"How?" frowned Harry.

"All you are doing is putting them on and tightening them. You have to put the safety cable on them as well." She reached down and picked up the wire cable was that dangling off the side of it. There was a metal clip on it that one would use for mountain climbing. She started demonstrating. "You take this..." She showed him the cable. "Wrap it around the pipe, then you run it though the end here…." She showed him that there was a little loop on the opposite end of the cable. "Then you clip on here…" The last step was clipping it onto a whole that was built into the side of the light.

Harry nodded to her. "So that secures it?" he guessed. .

She nodded. "Yes. We do that in case for some reason the clamp of the light is not screwed on tightly enough; there is something to catch it. It's all about safety around here."

"Thanks" he told her. Alice nodded. "I've only been here myself for about six months, so I'm still learning. You're always learning something new around here. Even David learns new things and he's the Stage Manager!" She laughed at the thought.

It was then that Logan came back with the tape measure. He saw that Harry was talking to Alice. "Hey, Alice, how are you today?"

"I'm alright. I was just showing Harry how to properly put on a light. You're the one he's supposed to be shadowing and you didn't even show him how to do that!" she reprimanded, though her tone was lighthearted.

"Hey! I'm workin' on it! This is only Harry's second time here!" defended Logan, trying to act innocent. "I was gonna show him!"

"Before or after David comes along and sees safety cables improperly used and throws a fit?" prodded Alice playfully.

"Shut up, Alice! You just like givin' me a hard time!" laughed Logan as he began to turn slightly red out of embarrassment.

Harry watched the two of them, amused. He knew the two of them only knew each other from work, but with the way they were acting, it was as though they had known each other for years. He glanced around at the other workers and noticed the same thing. It was one big family around here. There was lots of laughs, joking, talking; just happy good times. One could easily forget that you were even at work in a place like this because everyone was working together and helping each other out. Harry had never worked at a place like this before where everyone got along so well.

The next hour or so went more or less the same. The worked at getting the lights in all the right places, then made sure everything was hooked up and dressed properly. Harry was just finishing tying up one of the cables when a girl with blonde hair and glasses walked up to Logan, Harry and Alice. Harry recognized her from the last time he had been there. He had nearly bumped into her when she was carrying lights onto the stage.

The girl stopped before them. "Alice, which gels did David say had to be replaced?"

Alice, who was tying up some cables thought a moment before answering. "I think he said he just wanted the parnel gels to be changed. But I think Jane already did that."

"Oh, did she? I wasn't sure." The blonde girl turned to Harry, looking at him curiously. "Either my memory has failed me yet again or you're new."

Harry smirked at her remark. "I'm Harry, nice to meet ya" He flashed his gold tooth at her.

"I'm Erin. So, are we bringing out the orchestra shell next then?" she asked to no in particular. She pulled down on her blue shirt and fixed it in the back. Like everyone else, she was wearing jeans and t-shirt.

Logan, who had been fiddling with his cell phone, looked up. "Yeah, I think so. There's a Philharmonic tomorrow night and David wants to get it done and finished so that we're ready to go in the morning when they come to practice."

Harry didn't really know what any of that meant, nor did he really care. He just wanted to get the work done and get back to Marv as soon as he could. He glanced around everyone, noting that they all seemed to be in such chipper moods and he couldn't help but frown at them all. They didn't realize how lucky they were to not have the same worries as he did. He took in a deep breath and continued on working.

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Before Harry knew what was going on, the four them, Logan, Alice, Erin, and himself were working on getting the orchestra shells out and into place. Harry wasn't entirely sure why Alice and Erin were being made to do this, seeing as how there were much stronger men to help push the large shells onto the lifter they were using and maneuvering. He just heard David asking the others to help go into the cat walks and change some lights around and then something about some guys working low bridge.

As the two of them were moving the large and tall orchestra shells, conversation went between the four of them when they were spared the moments. Harry mainly listened to the other three, too concentrated in his own thoughts and paying attention to his work.

"Hey, did you guys hear?" spoke Logan as he turned on the lift for the orchestra shell. It gave off a small whirring sound as it slowly began to lift the shell.

"About what?" squeaked Erin from where she was on the other side of the shell next to Alice. Harry and Loan were guiding the shell in the front while Erin and Alice were guiding in in the back.

"There was this big robbery in New York on Christmas Eve" he told them.

Harry, who had been guiding the shell to the gold metal marks on the stage floor, tensed up; for he knew which robbery he was probably talking about.

"Where was the robbery at?" asked Alice from her spot around the shell. They guided the shell closer to the gold marks.

"Bring it forward about another three inches" directed Harry, keeping his attention on their work. He didn't want to talk about the topic they were currently on. It was far too risky; there was too great of a chance he would slip and they would find out about him and Marv. The three of them did as they were told and followed Harry's direction. Once the shell's mark was where it needed to be he told them to stop. "Okay, it's good there." He had learned quickly where the shells needed to go and since Logan was playing conversation leader he decided he would step in. he always had to remember that Logan was a lot younger and therefore a much shorter attention span than Harry did.

"Have you ever heard of Duncan's Toy Chest?" he asked them.

"Oh, yes! I sometimes take my daughter Jennifer there for her birthday! She absolutely loves that store! She's only six, so you can imagine what she's like in that store!" beamed Alice happily. She took out the bar from the lifter so that Logan could drop the shell down into place. The bar Erin and Alice were using had to be taken out before he could so.

They walked off to the next shell, taking the lifter out from the one shell and placing it under the one they still had to move. At Alice's words, Harry couldn't help but think of how excited Marv had been when he was in that store. He remembered once more how Marv had been playing with the toy soldiers and how his eyes had lit up the moment they walked through the spiral doors to the store. At that moment, Marv had been a little six year old and it once again pained him to remember that that moment of happiness had been very short lived for Marv for Harry had dragged him back into reality as they plotted for the fateful heist that brought them to where they were now.

Logan's voice pierced through Harry's thoughts and he was brought back to the present. "Ready, ladies?" He shifted the lift further under the shell.

"Yeah" replied Erin. Once the lift was up Alice placed the bar back onto the lift so that they could steer it from the back.

"Alright, we need to bring it out and then we're going to turn it to the right angle" Logan told them. Once they started pushing it out, Logan continued on with his story. "Anyways, it turns out that two guys ended up robbing the place!"

"Really?" inquired Alice, sounding skeptical. "Why would they steal from a toy store? And on Christmas Eve, of all nights?"

Harry narrowed his eyes a bit at her tone. He knew she wasn't trying to insult him personally, because she didn't even know he was one of the two guys who had stolen from the place, but it still stung. She had made it sound like it was such a ridiculous notion. Though the more Harry thought about it, he supposed she was right. Looking back, it had been a ridiculous idea; one that he and Marv were stupid enough to attempt. In their defense though, they had technically gotten away with it; just not in the way they had hoped.

"I don't know" shrugged Logan from his spot next to Harry. "Pull the shell a little to left." Erin and Alice make quick work in doing so.

"Where did you hear this, Logan?" inquired Erin.

"It's all over the news. Don't any of you guys watch the news?"

"I don't watch a whole lot of television. I'm usually reading or writing with my spare time" explained Alice.

Erin shrugged. "I just don't watch the news a whole lot."

None of them noticed Harry's silence and the shorter bandit was grateful for it. He prayed that they would quickly change the topic. He didn't like where it was going.

"Well, they're saying on the news that they're looking everywhere to find the two guys who stole the money. The money was supposed to go to the Children's Hospital. It was charity money!" Logan told them. "The police suspect they went out of the city. One of their police cars is stolen and they're looking desperately for that car, because if they find that car, the robbers might not be too far away!"

Harry, who had been pulling the shell and walking backwards, came to a sudden halt, his body entirely tensed up and his eyes wide at Logan's words. Due to the sudden stop, the shell wavered dangerously back and forth, much to the fright of Erin, Alice, and Logan.

"Hey!" cried out the girls from behind the shell as they reached up along the sides of the shell in hopes to keep the shell from swaying. They watched the shell nervously until it balanced itself out on the lifter.

"Harry! What gives?" shouted Logan reproachfully. He looked at the man next to him and gave him a critical stare and a frown. "You can't just stop like that! I figured you would know better!"

Yet Harry wasn't paying attention to Logan or the girls. His mind was too busy wheeling with the news. If what Logan was saying was true, he had to get rid of that police car as soon as possible. The car was still sitting in the same place where he'd parked in the hospital parking lot the night they had gotten there. Logan had either been taking him to work or he was walking places. He had made sure the car was locked up and the keys securely in his pocket.

The seats were still covered in the syrupy goo and pigeon feathers and bird seed that they had been covered with earlier that night. Harry had yet to clean all that up and he knew he was going to have to now for they could easily use that as a way to find them. He would have to rid that car of any and all fingerprints from both Harry and Marv.

Panic began to rise in Harry, which was not something he was used to. Harry Lyme was not the type of man who panicked about much but this time he was practically freaking out. He kept himself from trembling as thoughts about being caught by the police ran through his mind.

"Sorry. Leg cramp" he heard himself tell the others. He shook his leg a bit to make it look like he was trying to shake the cramp. He wondered what time it was and how much longer they were going to be working. Judging by the amount of orchestra shells they still had to put up they were still going to be there for a while. A part of him wanted to drop everything and go check on Marv.

Harry ran a hand over his healing head and gave a sigh, continuing to push the shell backwards. He we silent as Logan continued talking. "Yeah, they say that they had almost caught the two burglars when some anonymous person left a note at the scene of the crime. There was a bunch of fireworks at the park that someone had set off and they say that was the last place they had seen the suspects and the evidence. The two guys must have stolen the car and booked it."

"I wonder where they are now" commented Alice. "I mean, you have to wonder where a person goes after doing something like that."

Erin shrugged. "I don't know. My conscious would be driving me crazy though. I wouldn't be able to sleep if I knew I had committed any kind of crime."

"Some people are just like that, I suppose" sighed Alice. "Okay, we need to bring the shell more towards me because we're not lined up back here." She and Erin helped guide the shell back to the gold marks.

Harry and Logan pushed it forward towards the girls to help them line it up. "From what I heard, the one guy was screaming like a girl when they found them." Harry sneered at this comment for he knew Logan was now talking about Marv. "I wish they had videotaped that, because that would have been hilarious."

Harry liked Logan; he thought he was a good kid, but right now all he wanted to do was punch the kid hard in the stomach to teach him a lesson. This was doing nothing for his temper and he knew that if Logan continued to make fun of Marv like that he would lose it. He had to keep himself under control.

Logan continued, unaware of Harry's growing anger towards him. "It just makes me mad that those guys would steal from a children's charity. I mean, how stupid and cruel do you have to be to pull something like that? Only idiots who have nothing better to do with their lives would pull something like that."

"Shut up!" hissed Harry before he knew what was happening.

Logan flinched and gawked at him. Erin and Alice, having heard him, poked their heads from each side of the shell to see what has happened. "Harry—What's wrong? I didn't-I didn't offend you somehow, did I?"

Harry grimaced, thinking to himself, "Oh, if only you knew kid…" He wished he could say that out loud but he knew that would give him away. He had already taken a risk by snapping the way he had. He was getting to be as bad as Marv if he wasn't careful. Out loud he said, "Sorry, kid. I didn't mean to snap at ya. I just think ya shouldn't go judgin' people like that. You don't know their side of the story, ya know?"

"You're defending them?" said Logan judgingly.

Harry let go of the lifter and turned to look up at Logan. "Look, kid. People do stupid stuff, yeah. But sometimes people do stupid stuff because they believe they have no other options. Maybe they needed the money—"

"Then they should get jobs like everyone else!" argued Logan. Alice and Erin awkwardly waited for the two of them to finish, both glancing at each other and thinking the same thing: they didn't want to get involved.

Harry crossed his arms. "Maybe they needed money right away. Maybe they couldn't wait until they got a job."

"Why are you defending them so much?"

Harry could have very easily have told him the truth, but, looking away and averting his eyes, he knew that wasn't an option. His eyes landed on David, who was downstage of them and talking on the phone. The moment David found out he was a wanted criminal he would lose his job, call the cops on him and possibly never see Marv again; mainly because Harry would never give in and tell the police where to find Marv.

"I'm defendin' them so much, kid….because I know what it's like to be down and out and feelin' like there's no other options…." At his words, Logan, Erin, and Alice stared at him in wonder, curious to know more about Harry yet not brave enough to ask. Harry continued, "Now enough talk….let's get this orchestra shell where it needs to be, huh?" he turned, his face still grim and full of thought. He grabbed hold of the lifter, Logan doing the same thing a moment later. Erin and Alice got ready and the four of them continued working without any more talk of burglaries.

Meanwhile, Harry's mind still worked over what he was going to do about the police car. He figured once he was done with work, he would check on Marv, then go and clean out the police car and figure out what to do with it then. With this plan in mind Harry was able to focus on work and the let the hours tick by until he was by Marv's side once more.

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	14. Chapter 14

**Finding Sleep **

**Chapter 14**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing save for Dr. Orellana or Miss Corra. **

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Harry could not have been happier to be walking back down the hallway that led to Marv's room in the hospital two hours after he nearly blew his and Marv's cover. He walked through the door, intending to see Marv quickly before he went to clean up the police car when Dr. Orellana stepped out of the room and blocked him from doing so.

Harry grunted as he nearly collided with the tall dark haired doctor. "Hey! Watch—" He stopped in mind sentence when he realized it was Dr. Orellana he was speaking to. "Oh!" He paused as he took a moment to gather his thoughts. "Hey! So, did ya run the tests on Marv, then? How is he? Can I go—"

Dr. Orellana put up a hand to silence Harry, who looked up at him with a frown. "Nice to see you too, Harry" he smiled. Yet his smile was short lived as he frowned and became more serious. "Yes, I checked over Marv. We ran another x-ray on him. It seems that the surgery was quite successful and his skull will be healing in no time. The swelling is gone and he should be just fine."

Harry nodded. He didn't like the doctor's tone. He made it sound as though there was more. "Okay, that's great! What else? You said something about the visual cortex."

Dr. Orellana took in a deep breath. "I did, yes. When we ran the x-rays we looked over that as well. It turns out the visual cortex is being strained."

"Strained?" echoed Harry in confusion.

"Yes. Because of the initial impact Marv took when he fell, it appears it causes the visual cortex to be strained. Now, we didn't know he was having problems with the cortex until after the surgery. It never showed up on the first x-rays, which leads me to believe that it was caused in the surgery. There was strain before, but the surgery caused more of a strain which led to his eyesight problems" explained the doctor. He crossed his arms over his chest as though he was prepared for Harry's coming outburst.

"Wait—He didn't have a problem with his eyesight before the surgery?" clarified Harry as he tried to figure out what Dr. Orellana had just told him.

"No."

"So, you're tellin' me, that this whole problem with his eyesight is because of what ya guys did in the operatin' room?" asked Harry, his words getting more harsh with every word he spoke.

Dr. Orellana looked between guilty and unsure. "Yes, I'm afraid so…"

"I don't believe this!" roared Harry. "You guys call yourselves professionals?"

Now Dr. Orellana just looked flat out insulted. "Mr. Murphy-Harry! You need to realize that we had no idea that this would happen!"

"That's not the point! The point is, Marv is having problems with his eyesight because you!" he argued back just as angrily.

Dr. Orellana took in a deep breath, trying to figure out the best way to calm Harry down before the shorter man made any more of a fuss. "I understand you are upset, Harry, but you must understand, there was no way we could have known. The surgery went smoothly without any complications—"He saw that Harry was going to protest against this and quickly spoke over him. "Yes! The visual cortex was damaged in the process, but it was inevitable! It would have happened no matter what! Harry, you need to be grateful that nothing more went wrong. Brain surgery is a very delicate procedure and for him to walk out of it without anything more than a strained visual cortex is a wonderful accomplishment!"

The doctor's words seemed to calm Harry down for his glare lessened till it was a small glare and deep frown. He couldn't deny that much; it was a miracle nothing worse had happened to Marv. Yet now there was only one question left on his mind: "So, is it fixable; the strain on the visual cortex?"

Dr. Orellana nodded." He's under sedation right now."

Harry's widened is disbelief and anger. "Wait, you mean you already gave him surgery again? Why didn't ya tell me you were gonna do that?"

"It wasn't surgery!" Dr. Orellana assured him.

"Then why do ya put him under sedation?" demanded the shorter bandit.

"Because he was in a lot of pain!" answered Dr. Orellana with a sigh.

"Pain?" whispered Harry, concern filling his grey eyes.

"Yes. The muscles and tissues around the visual cortex are tensed up, which we believe is the reason the cortex is strained to begin with. In order to relax those muscles we had to put a heating pad on it and Marv said he was in a lot of pain because of it. The muscles are very sensitive right now and there are a lot of nerves in your neck which is causing the pain." explained the doctor.

"Can I see him now? How long has he been out?" insisted Harry, trying to steal a glance behind the doctor and into Marv's room.

"We gave him a sedative about a half hour after you left. Since you've been gone for nearly five or so hours the sedation is wearing off. We didn't give him anything strong like we did for the surgery. He's awake now if you would like to see him. He woke up about twenty minutes ago" replied Dr. Orellana.

Harry felt a wave of relief wash over him as he smiled up at the taller man. "….Thank you. I'm sorry I snapped."

Dr. Orellana smiled down at him. "IT's fine. I've dealt with angry friends and family members many times before. One time a woman threw a purse at me when she heard the news of her husband. It wasn't even bad news!" He chuckled before walking down the hallway.

Harry watched him go for a moment, grateful that Marv had managed to get such a good doctor. He then stepped into the room and found Marv lying on the bed staring at the ceiling. He could see that there was still a heating pad underneath Marv's neck from where he lay on the pillow. Harry walked up, noting that the bag full of money was still where he had left it, and grabbed Marv's hand.

"Hey, Marvin. How're ya feelin'?" he asked softly, moving his hand to run it through Marv's curls, only to remember they were no longer there. He was so used to doing it and now it would be a hard habit to break. He couldn't imagine how hard it must be Marv.

If Marv noticed the hand gesture he didn't say anything about it; instead he just gave Harry a tired smile and sighed. "I'm okay, I guess. Tired, but it seems like I'm always tired." He continued to stare up at the ceiling. "You know, Harry, if you stare up at the ceiling long enough and cross your eyes a little bit, those dots up there form the shape of a giraffe."

Harry gave him an incredulous look before looking up at the ceiling for a moment. There were tiny little dots covering the ceiling, though Harry couldn't begin to fathom how Marv managed to make out a giraffe in them. Looking back down at Marv, he changed the subject. "So, you're feeling okay? How's your neck?"

"Hot. But that's only because I have a heating pad of it" was the reply.

Harry nodded. "Dr. Orellana explained to me why ya have to have that on. We're gonna get this all sorted out, Marv. I promise."

"I'm not worried about it, Harry. I know you'll take care of everything while I'm in here. And once I'm better we'll be all set!" beamed Marv with positivity practically bubbling off him.

Harry really wished he could share in with that optimism, but Logan's words about the police on a desperate search for that police car; he had a tough time doing so. He cleared his throat. Marv knew that had been staying at the Plaza Hotel with the aid of a stolen credit card. He didn't bother hiding that from Marv, because he knew the lanky man's first question would have been, 'Where did they get the money to stay at such a classy place?'

Though he didn't think Marv had realized that they currently had no place to say and certainly knew Marv was unaware that the police were looking for them and the police car they had taken. While the short tempered man wanted nothing more than to sit next to Marv and be there with every moment; he knew he had to go take care of the car.

"Yeah…..Wish I could share in your optimism there Marv…" mumbled Harry, hoping Marv wouldn't hear it.

But he did hear it. "What do you mean by that?"

Harry shook his head. "It's nothin'. Don't worry about it."

Marv stared at him for a moment before it finally seemed to click. "Oh, this has something to do with that thing I'm not supposed to ask about even though I DO wanna know about it. I get it."

"Good, cause I haven't a clue what ya just said" replied Harry with a slight chuckle. Marv chuckled along with him. The shorter man reached a hand over to run a hand over the bandages that were still on his head. He wished Marv would be able to take them off soon. It was unnerving to see Marv bandaged up like that and it only reminded him of that they had been through.

Harry had been putting on the ointment Miss Corra had given him for his burns religiously after learning on soothing it felt on his head. Save for the bruises and scratches that still covered them, which thankfully had yet to be mentioned by either doctor or nurse, the two of them would soon be healed and ready to go again.

"Harry…" whispered Marv. Harry came out of his thoughts just in time to see Marv lean in close to kiss him. The kiss was soft and sweet but ended quickly. When they parted, they looked each other in the eye. "I really wish you would stop worrying all the time. Everything is going to be fine! I'm feeling much better now and I should be able to leave soon—Miss Coral even said something about me being able to leave this evening! We'll be fine!"

Harry stared at Marv upon hearing the news that he may be released later that day. That was certainly news to him. He wondered why Miss Corra hadn't mentioned anything to him. He also noted that Marv had once again mispronounced Miss Cora's name. At the rate he was going, the doctor and nurse would never believe Marv to be well enough to leave; despite the fact that it was Marv's natural state to be confused and oblivious.

"She said you might be released tonight?" inquired Harry.

Marv nodded. "Yeah, she said that a little while ago. You mean she didn't tell you?"

Harry shook his head. "No. She didn't." He paused a moment before saying. "Ah, well. No big deal. I know now." He glanced at the clock on the wall and remembered what Logan had said about the police. He took in a deep breath before saying, "Hey, listen, Marv. I have to leave for a little bit and take care of a few things, especially if you might be getting' out of here later tonight. I won't be long though, I promise."

Marv nodded, though he looked a bit disappointed. "Alright, but don't be too long Harry." He shifted downwards on the bed and made himself more comfortable. "I think I may take a nap anyways. I'm still a bit sleepy."

Harry nodded, liking the idea. "You do that, Marv. I'll see you in a bit." They leaned in towards each other and shared a kiss before Harry walked out the door after glancing to make sure the bag of money was safe. Marv was asleep within the first three minutes of his absence.

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It had taken longer and more effort than Harry had anticipated cleaning out the police car. It didn't help in the least that it was snowing and frigid cold outside. He pulled his coat closer to himself as he looked a job well done.

Looking over the police car he felt a swell of pride in himself. It had not been an easy task getting the syrupy substance out of the seat cushions; nor had it been an easy task to pick up all the tiny pigeon feathers than had fallen off them in the process. The short man could not fathom what they had been covered in after they had fallen off the side of the building and been plastered with various buckets filled with paints, paint thinners, and Harry could only guess what else. A part of him didn't want to know.

He had gone to the local drug store that was on the corner of the block and bought as many cleaning products for cars he could find. He was careful to get any and all fingerprints off, going so far as to wear plastic gloves so that he wouldn't make fresh new ones in the process of cleaning. He didn't want to give the police any more of a lead than he had to. By cleaning out the police car he would leave them with a lot less evidence.

He was aware that even had he kept the car a mess they wouldn't have been able to find them on that alone; but it would have proved all the more that Marv and him had been the ones who had stolen the money from Duncan's Toy Chest. Thankfully, on that dreadful Christmas Eve, Harry had snatched the photos they had been so desperate to get back from the brat of a kid named McCalister. The photos were safely hidden in the money bag, along with the cassette tape the kid has used to record Marv spilling the beans about their plan. Yet Harry was not a man who liked to take chances when it came to the police. He knew there were all kinds of new technology being invented each day that could make it easier to find suspects and that was the last thing Harry wanted to have happen to them.

Harry took in a deep breath that froze his lungs and let it out, a puff of white forming before him. He had cleaned every inch of the cars inside, making sure not to forget any details. It had taken over an hour to do so, but he knew it was worth it. Now all he had to do was get rid of it; and he had a pretty good idea on how to do so.

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A half hour later, Harry Lyme found himself in the presence of an elderly man who looked to be the size of a toothpick. Not only was the man shorter than Harry but he was skinnier than Marv. This had not been the exact way he had expected his plan to do when he had taken the police car to the nearest parking garage.

Harry had considered trading the car with some type of black market dealer yet Harry currently didn't want to have anything to do with the black market since it was far too risky and in a new city he couldn't be sure who was trustworthy. One never knew when they were really talking to an undercover cop trying to bust some drug dealers. Not only that, but Harry promised himself not to get himself wound up in criminal situations anymore. He had also considered taking it to a junk yard somewhere but the nearest one around was about an hour away. Harry didn't wish to pay for that much cab fare.

So, his next best idea was to simply drop it off and leave it at some parking garage, where he knew hundreds of people came in and out of each day. He had considered the idea of cameras, which was why he was currently wearing a new woolen hat and was keeping his head down.

This was how he found himself in the presence of the tiny old man who was wore a blue uniform and was in charge of the parking garage. Harry raised his eyebrows as he waited for the man to peel off the ticket stub that proved his admittance to the garage.

"Now….when do you think….you'll be back….to pick up the car?" asked the man, his voice slow placed.

"I should be back in a few days" Harry lied to him.

The elderly man pulled off his hat and scratched his head, which revealed a small tangle of white wispy hair. He placed it back on his head and glanced back over at the police car. "That looks…just like a police car…" he commented. "When you….first showed up….I could have sworn I was going to be…arrested…"

Harry grinned down at him, his gold tooth showing. "Yes, but as I told you—"

The elderly man raised a hand and smiled, looking as though he was about to start burst out laughing. "Oh, I know! You…told me the story…..I haven't laughed that hard….in so long…I'm sure glad….I don't have friends like that…..I don't think….my heart would handle…such reckless friends…"

Harry continued to smile down at him. He had fooled the elderly man into thinking that the car was not actually a police car and that it had simply been painted to look like that. The lights on top had been the final touch the joke his old buddies at work had played on him. Harry felt bad for lying and he knew there was probably an easier way to get rid of the car, but he knew this was the least risky.

He had lucked out when he learned the old man was going blind, because one look at the inside of the car would have given him away. To both Harry's thrill and guilt, the man was gullible and naive and easily believed Harry's lie. He honestly wondered if the old man had been like Marv when he was younger, because he could see a similarity between their personalities. They were friendly, gullible, naïve, innocent, and most of all, kind-hearted.

"Here you go…..Bring this ticket….back with you….when you come to pick up your car" said the man.

Harry nodded. "I will" he lied once more. He took the ticket and stuffed it into his pocket.

The elderly man smiled. "You have…..a good day sir! I'll look forward….to another funny story from…you."

Harry nodded and walked away from the garage booth as quickly as he could, hearing the man walk back into his office as the door slammed behind him. Harry couldn't get out of the parking garage fast enough. He made sure to keep his head down, unsure of where there were any cameras, if any. He was just thankful that the car was finally gone and he would no longer have to worry about it. By the time the police tracked the car down, he and Marv would be gone. The parking garage was a half hour away from the hospital and if Harry planned things right, it would be even further away from their future home.

He walked away from the parking garage and down the sidewalk, feeling the chill in the air bite into him. As he walked he started looking for a bus stop so that he could take it back to the hospital. He hoped Marv was still asleep when he got back for he didn't want Marv to know how long he had been gone; that and he didn't like the idea of Marv waking up by himself.

As he continued to walk down the sidewalk, he came upon a bridge. The street wasn't too busy; just an occasional car that would go by. He glanced down the side of the bridge and saw it was a river underneath. He stopped and looked down, being able to faintly see his reflection far below in the icy water. Near the edges of the water was turning to ice because it was so cold and as Harry stared down at his reflection, it started to snow heavily.

In just the past week a great deal of things had happened to him and Marv. He didn't feel like the same person anymore; which was probably because he didn't act the same anymore. Marv had had every right to be surprised when he woke up to surgery to see the 'new Harry'. There was a time when he wouldn't have thought twice about hitting Marv or yelling at him; yet now it was nearly impossible for him to do so. No matter how much Marv got on his nerves.

There was a time when he would have robbed a store just for the thrill of it, but now he was so cautious of his every move he wouldn't dream of doing something like that. As he wondered about his sudden change in personality, his hand brushed the small gun that was still tucked away in his coat pocket. He remembered Marv's reaction to the gun and when he had had threatened the boy with it. Looking back now he wondered what had ever possessed him to even buy it. It had seemed like such a good idea at the time since they were on the run and needed to protect themselves. But now, after nearly using it on two police officers in the hospital cafeteria and a young boy, he saw that the gun was nothing but trouble and that he couldn't be trusted with it.

Harry glanced around him, making sure no one was around. He pulled out the gun and stared at it in his hands. One simple bullet could end it all and he knew that very well. Not only could it easily end a life, but it could easily ruin a relationship. Having a gun gave a person a sense of power; a sense of superiority. All the more reason Harry shouldn't have it; he clearly wasn't able to handle either of them. It turned him into a person he didn't want to be.

With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the gun over the side of the bridge. He watched it fall and land in the water with a small splash and plop. He stared at the place the gun landed for a minute, watching the little bubbles come up and the ripples of the water even out.

It was gone; he didn't have to worry about it anymore.

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Shortly after disposing of the gun, Harry had managed to find a bus stop and had ridden it back to the hospital. As he walked into Marv's room, his eyes widened as he realized the bed was empty. Marv was nowhere in sight.

"Marv?" he called out, frantically looking around the room and up and down the hallway. He quickly grabbed the bag of money that was still sitting underneath his chair. "Marv?"

He was about to head out of the room and find Miss Corra or some other nurse when he heard the flush of a toilet. He had forgotten the possibility that Marv was in the restroom. He placed the bag of money down on his chair, no longer feeling the need to bolt out of the room trying to find Marv.

He waited a moment before the door opened and out came Marv.

The first thing Harry noticed was that Marv was no longer in his hospital gown; he was now fully clothed save for his coat. Marv's eyes landed on him and he gave the shorter man a goofy smile. "Hi, Harry! I was wondering when you'd get back! Miss Coral and Dr. Orlana said I could go home today!"

It took a moment for Harry to comprehend what Marv had just told him, his mind still on the fact that Marv still hadn't gotten either of their names right. "They did? They're releasin' ya? But what about your neck? And your head?"

"Dr. Orlana said there isn't anything more they can do about my neck and the visual cortez thingy…. And my head—"he reached up to run a hand over his head. "Oh—I forgot to take these bandages off!" He laughed at his own mistake.

Before Marv could start taking them off, Harry batted his hand away and started doing it himself. He reached up as far as he could and tried taking them off. Seeing that Harry was struggling to do so, Marv leaned down a bit. "You're too damn tall for your own good, Marvin" grumbled Harry. Marv chuckled, having heard Harry say that to him many times before. Harry gently unwrapped the bandages and rolled them up in a ball in his hands. "Turn around. I wanna see if ya have a scar."

Marv did so and Harry could see a red incision line where they had opened Marv up and put then sewed him back up. The stitches were already gone and there was no longer blood on the bandages since they had been changed twice a day. "Is there a scar?" he heard Marv ask.

Harry grabbed his shoulder and had him turn around, standing up right again. "Yeah, course there is. They opened your head up. Of course there's gonna be a scar!" Harry then looked up at the tall man he considered his lover and smiled, suddenly having the greatest urge to hug him and never let him go. Yet before he was able to show such uncharacteristic affection, Miss Corra walked into the room, followed by Dr. Orellana.

Harry took a step away from Marv and looked at the two expectantly. "Hey" he greeted. Marv gave them both a small wave and shy smile.

"Ah, it's good to see you up and about, Marv" smiled the doctor. "I'm sure you heard, Harry. Marv is being released today. We have reason to believe he will be just fine. We will give you some heating pads and some pain medication for your neck. The visual cortex shouldn't be giving you too many more problems now that we are loosening up the muscles, tendons, and tissues back there. However, if it continues to give you problems, don't hesitate to come back. We'll figure it out." He paused a moment before continuing. "As for your head, you haven't been having any pain there, have you Marv?"

Marv shook his head. "No. I'm a little dizzy sometimes, but you said that's normal."

Dr. Orellana nodded. "Yes, that will happen. It should fade away in a few days. The stitches are out and you're healing quite nicely. I find no reason to keep you here any longer. And I'm sure you're thrilled about this, aren't you, harry? You've been living here non-stop since Marv was brought in. I'll bet you'll be glad to sleep in your own bed tonight." Dr. Orellana smiled down at Harry.

Harry forced a smile on his face. Yes, he was glad Marv was getting out of the hospital, but at the same time, he was worried, because he had yet to find them a proper place to stay. They would probably end up staying at a hotel until they found an apartment to rent.

"Yes. Thank you for everything. I can't tell ya how much we appreciate all you've done" said Harry gratefully.

Miss Corra and Dr. Orellana both smiled. "This is what we do, Harry. We're here to help people" the doctor told them. "I chose this career for this very reason. For the satisfaction that I'm saving lives and helping people."

Harry turned to Miss Corra. "And thank YOU especially, for helping me get that job over at the Performin' Arts Center."

Miss Corra smiled. "Don't mention it. I'm glad I could help. I hope the two of you have a great New Year's."

"Thanks! You too!" beamed Marv.

"Can we leave now?" asked Harry, grabbing the bag of money.

Dr. Orellana nodded. "If you are ready. I just have to have you two step out here to the desk so that I can sign you out and verify that you are able to leave."

Without another word the four of them walked out of the room and into the hallway where Dr. Orellana led the way to the front desk where he spoke quietly and professionally to the woman behind the desk. Harry could see the woman quickly pulling out a file from the cabinet and handing them over. Harry could only guess that they were Marv's records for his stay. Dr. Orellana quickly looked through them and pulled out a paper. He grabbed a pen from the woman behind the desk and signed it.

He handed the paper over to Harry after a moment. "Here you are. This just states Marv's stay and his records on everything happened during his stay and why. This is also a copy of your bill. Everything you need to know is stated on this." He paused and looked up at Marv proudly, as though he were looking at his own son. "And I wish you the best of luck, Marv!" he shook Marv's hand. "If there are any questions or concerns, you can find me. My information is also on that form. I hope the two of you have a wonderful day."

Marv nodded and grabbed hold of Harry's hand. The taller man practically flinched when he did so, remembering that Harry didn't like public affection like that, but he was surprised when Harry grabbed his hand back and squeezed it gently. He didn't say anything though for they were still waving their goodbyes.

Harry smiled and thanked Miss Corra one last time for all the help she had been to them. It was awfully nice of her to have helped Harry out like that. If it wasn't for her, he would not have managed to find his new job at the Performing Arts Center.

As the two of them walked out the doors, they could hear Miss Corra calling them back. Both bandits looked back to see Miss Corra running to them the best she could, though it was clear she was freezing since she didn't have a jacket on. The frigid cold air was whipping around them furiously. "Harry! I almost forgot! Here is a list Logan gave me of the days there are All Calls and shows for work. There is also his number if you have any questions!" She shoved a piece of paper into Harry's hand.

Harry looked down at it to see a list of the All Calls and Logan's number. He looked up at her, dumbfound. "Oh, thanks. Thank ya so much" was all he could manage to say. He saw her shivering and said, "Now get back inside before ya get sick yourself!"

She smiled and said farewell to them one last time before she went back inside.

Marv glanced down at Harry once they were walking once more down the street. "So, Harry, where are we off to?"

"Well, we don't have a place to stay yet, so I'm thinkin' we're gonna find ourselves a nice hotel and stay there for a few nights" he replied, glancing down at the paper in his hands. He looked over the times that he would be able to work. "And then tomorrow you and I are going to work." The two of them continued walking down the sidewalk as snow fell slowly around them.

"Work?" echoed Marv. "But I don't have a job."

"Ya will soon, Marv."

"What kind of job?"

"A nice one."

"Does it have good pay?"

"Minimum wage."

"Is that good?"

"Yes, Marv, that's good."

"How good?"

"Stop askin' stupid questions."

"How good is it though?"

"Would ya just shut up about it?"

There was silence for a few minutes before Marv spoke up again. "How many hours will I work?" Harry just grumbled, knowing this was one of those times he wondered why he put up with Marv.

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The two of them ended up finding a nice hotel that was about four blocks away from the hotel. It was a Hilton Hotel. It may not have been the Plaza but neither of them was complaining. The two of them walked into the hotel room, stepping through the front doors. On the right side of the room there was a fountain that spilled water out on the ivory marble. Marv's brown eyes immediately were drawn to it.

Harry on the other hand walked over to the other side of the room where the front desk was located. He walked up the man behind the counter and smiled. "Hello."

"Hello" greeted the man. He looked young, possibly in his late twenties. He wore a suit and tie. "May I help you sir?"

"Yes, my friend and I would like to reserve a -" He glanced behind him to see Marv sitting on the side of the fountain and dipping his hand into the water. "—Room…." He rolled his eyes at Marv's childish antics. "Marv! Get over here!" he hissed.

Marv whipped his head around to see what Harry was angry about and it finally occurred to him what he was doing. He pulled his hand out of the water, got up, and quick scampered over to Harry, who was glaring up at him. Marv went red in the cheeks. "Sorry. I was trying to pet the goldfish in the fountain…."

Harry took in a deep breath to calm himself down before turning back to the man behind the desk. "Sorry about him. Like I was sayin'- we would like to reserve a room; a one bedroom."

Marv goofily smiled, remembering how Harry had said they had stayed in a one bedroom at the Plaza too. It warmed his up to know Harry was willing to do it again; at a time he would actually remember. He knew Harry had said that some bad things had happened to them during those few days he didn't remember, but he still wished to know what had happened. He still felt like he was missing a part of his life; no matter how short a time lapse it was.

"Your name, please, sir?" said the man, ready to type in the information into the computer.

"This is under Murphy. Harold Murphy" replied Harry; glancing up to see Marv's mischievous smile. Harry raised a finger to his lips to know he needed to be quiet about the truth and Marv nodded. Harry had been sure to tell Marv that they were currently pretending their names were Murphy and Rinehart.

"And how long will you be staying with us?" was the next question.

Harry grimaced; he wasn't entirely sure how long they would be staying, he just knew they had nowhere else to do. "We will probably be staying here for about five days. If we decide to stay longer we shall let you know."

The man nodded. "That is fine, so long as someone does come along wishing for a room. If that is the case, we may have to find you another room."

Harry nodded. "That's not a problem."

"And how would you like to pay for this?"

"Cash." Harry pulled the zipper of the bag open, making sure to be discreet about it, since there was a lot of money stuffed inside it. He also made sure it was out of the way of cameras, though in a place like the Hilton, one could never been too sure how many cameras there were or where they were located. Marv looked down at the bag and his eyes widened. Harry had not told him exactly how much money they had on them and now he wanted to know all the more what had happened to them.

As Harry paid for the room, Marv stared off into space, his mind deep in thought he remembered something. He remembered using ramming open a large glass box and lifting the lid. He remembered seeing the box filled to the brim with money. He could hear himself giving a cry of happiness before saying to himself, "Happy Hanukah, Marv!"

Marv blinked as the memory ended and he heard his name being called.

"MARV!" shouted Harry.

Marv turned his chocolate eyes to Harry and gave him a weak smile. "Sorry, Harry. I was thinking…"

Harry made a face. "Well, that's a rare event" he remarked. Marv ignored the quip and continued to think about the memory. He felt Harry grab his arm and faintly heard him as he spoke, "Come on. As I was tryin' to tell ya, I'm done payin' for the room. We can go up to our room now and relax."

Marv smiled at this as he was dragged along, only able to imagine what might be in store for them once they were in their room.

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Marv woke up to the smell of something musky. He turned his nose towards the pillow and tried to ignore it. It wasn't a bad smell; in fact, it was a bit familiar. But all Marv wanted to do was sleep. He tried forcing himself deeper into sleep, yet it refused to come to him. He groaned after several minutes of sleep relentlessly escaping him.

Once Harry and Marv had had gotten into their rooms, they did little else. Both of them were more tired than they thought possible, seeing as how neither of them had really done anything for the past week. Yet for Harry, it was first time he had managed to sleep in a bed since they were staying at the Plaza. Though Marv thought the hospital bed he had been staying in recently was nothing compared to the bed he was in now.

The two of them had watched television the whole night until they grew sleepy. They had ordered pizza so that they wouldn't have to go anywhere. Once the pizza had been eaten and washed down with pop and beer, the two of them dozed off; comfortable in each other's embrace. Marv had expected them to do stuff now that they were together and Harry was supposedly being more affectionate to him, but sleep had claimed both of them before any thoughts of sexual activity could arise.

Marv groaned again, this time moving his arms and legs and stretching. He wasn't able to stretch far though before hitting something next to him. Marv opened his eyes to see that it was Harry, who was sleepily looking at him. "Mornin'" he said sleepily.

"Mornin'"

Harry stretched as well and looked about them. There was sun peeking through the curtains to their room, proving that it was sometime in the day. "That was a good night's rest, eh, Marv?" Marv nodded against the white pillow and he frowned when he remembered resting his head on fluffier ones once, though not able to figure out when. He ignored the thought and watched as Harry sat up. "I think that's the first time we've really slept the night through since the Plaza."

Marv nodded. "Yeah, I didn't like that hospital bed."

"At least you didn't have to sleep on a chair" Harry pointed out before giving Marv a quick kiss. He then hopped off the side of the bed and stood up. "Now, accordin' to the list Miss Corra gave me, there is an All Call today."

"A what?"

"An All Call" repeated Harry as he pulled off his shirt. They had fallen asleep in their clothes. "I told ya about 'em! It's where ya work and prepare the stage for an upcomin' show."

Marv nodded, faintly recalling Harry explaining that to him. Marv sat up and began to do the same thing, copying Harry.

"Yeah, so, if ya don't mind, I'd like to go to that today. I would also like for ya to come with me. I want ya to meet my new friends and see where it is I work at. Maybe ya could even get a job there workin' with me" Harry told him, pulling off his socks.

"YOU have friends?"

"Shut up, Marv! Yes! I am capable of havin' friends!" snapped Harry, though there was no anger in his voice.

"How many friends do you have?"

"Well, there's Logan. Miss Corra's nephew. He's the one trainin' me. Then there's Alice. She's real nice. And lastly, Erin. She's a bit shy, but a nice girl."

"How old are these women?" Marv couldn't help but ask.

Harry rolled his eyes, knowing the real reason for the question. "Nothing' like that Marv! Alice is married and Erin is still in college! Far too young for me!"

"Oh, okay…" mumbled Marv, not saying anymore on the matter. He knew he shouldn't be jealous, but he couldn't help it. He didn't know anything about Harry's job or what he's been doing there since he's been in the hospital and it made one suspicious, though he knew better than to say anything to Harry about it.

"I'm gonna hop into the shower" Harry called back to him as he entered the bathroom.

Marv sat on the bed for a moment, staring at the floor and picking at the bed sheets when a light bulb went off in his head as his eyes widened brightly. He looked at the bathroom door excitedly. "May I join you?"

Harry didn't answer right away. "…..Why not?" He heard a laugh from Harry as Marv darted happily to bathroom after him.

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Marv had to keep himself from gaping when they stepped off the bus and stood before the Performing Arts Center. It truly was a magnificent building. It was new and modern and seemed to contrast greatly with the other buildings around it. The glass front of it was breathtaking and the circular structure of it was amazing.

"You work here?" breathed Marv in awe as they walked around the back and to the crew member's door near the loading dock.

"Sure, do!" boasted Harry, feeling pride swell with in him. After years of working as a lowly plumber who rarely got jobs, this was quite a step up and he knew it. He had only worked there a few times, but he knew it was a job he was going to be keeping for a while.

"Wow! It's so professional-looking!" marveled the taller bandit.

Harry nodded. "That it is, Marv. And if you're lucky, you'll be getting' a job here too."

Harry led him into the loading dock and through the door near the swipe in machine. He hoped David would be giving him his card soon for he wanted to start clocking in like everyone else. He pointed it out to Marv, who stared at it with interest. "What is it, a phone?"

Harry sighed. "No! It's not a phone! It's where you swipe your card and clock in! I just told ya that!"

"It looks like a phone…"

"It's NOT a phone!" Harry was yelling at him as Logan walked up to them.

"Harry! Hey! I was wondering if you were gonna show up. With you not at the hospital anymore I don't know how to reach ya" he greeted. Harry smiled up at him, despite his previous annoyance with Marv. He moved out of the way so Marv could walk up and say hello. "This is my friend and partner, Marv."

Marv blinked at the word 'partner'. He had not expected Harry to be so truthful and forward about that. He shook Logan's hand. "Nice to meet you, kid."

"Likewise" smiled Logan. They walked out onto the stage. "David is late, as usual, so we're all just chillin' till he gets here." Harry nodded, glancing up at Marv to see the taller man gazing around the stage in wonder. He remembered his first reaction to the stage and it was pretty much the same as Marv's. He knew the feeling quite well. He watched as Marv kept looking upwards and nearly tripped over himself in the process. Marv stumbled after moving his head back too far. Harry took a deep breath and prayed he would be given the patience of a saint for the next few hours.

"Hi!" came the airy voice of Erin. Harry smiled at her, showing his gold tooth.

"Hey, there. How are you?"

"I'm good. Yourself?" she answered.

"Just fine." He turned to Marv. "This is my friend and partner Marv."

Marv tore his eyes away from the line sets high above and looked down to see Erin standing before them. He clumsily offered her a hand. "Oh! Hi, there! I'm Marv! You're….Erin?"

Erin shook his hand. "Yeah, that's me. Nice to meet you."

Her words went unheard though, for Marv was back to staring up at the line sets again. Harry leaned in and said, "Forgive him. It's his first time in a theater." Erin giggled and nodded. Harry looked around them, seeing several familiar faces and several new ones. He could see Jane and Jack, who he had worked with before; along with several others. There was one face he wasn't seeing though. He turned to Logan. "Where's Alice? Is she not here today?"

"Yeah, she's here. But she's waiting for her husband to come back. He left his house keys with her and he needs them to get back inside the house, apparently. He likes to come in and talk to the guys, so he could be anywhere. That's why she's off looking for him" explained Logan. Harry nodded.

He grabbed hold of Marv's hand, trying to get his attention. "Marv? Would ya stop starin' at the ceilin'?"

"How do those things stay up there?" asked Marv abruptly.

"They hang by wires."

"Woah….Those are some string wires…" muttered Marv as she started to bite his nails. He finally stopped looking up and was looking around the stage now with wide curious eyes.

Both Harry and Marv were standing there, both in their own thoughts, when a voice came from behind them. "There you are!" came the voice of Alice.

Before Marv or Harry could turn around or comprehend what was happening, Alice had made her way up from behind Marv and wrapped her arms around his neck, his back facing her. She gently twirled him around to face her, her lips immediately meeting Marv's. The kiss was soft and passionate and Marv could only stand there and take it, his eyes wide, for he was completely stunned by her actions.

Just as Marv was starting to kiss back, Harry, who had seen the whole thing, pushed the two of them apart. Alice and Marv stumbled away from each other, both shocked. "Hey, hey, hey! What's the big idea?" demanded Harry angrily, glaring daggers at Alice.

Alice, who had yet to look at Marv, stared at Harry incredulously. "What? I'm not doing anything, Harry! I'm just giving my husband a kiss! What's wrong with that—" She stopped speaking the moment her eyes landed on Marv and she finally realized her mistake. Her eyes went wide and she covered her mouth with both hands. "Oh my—you're not Ricky!"

Marv laughed and smiled goofily, his face all red. He swayed a bit, still stunned. "No…..but I sure can pretend to be!" he laughed a bit more. Harry elbowed him in the stomach. "Ow!"

"Oh my God….I'm SO SO sorry! I could have sworn you were Ricky! You—" She looked over Marv for a moment before continuing. "You look….so much like my husband! Same hair, same build, same height…You even have similar faces…I'm sorry, I just assumed you were him!"

"Yeah, well you assumed wrong" huffed Harry as he crossed his arms.

Alice saw the look of hostility in Harry's eyes and she felt all the more nervous and guilty. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by it! It's a simple mistake—"

"A mistake you're welcome to make again anytime!" snickered Marv, which earned him a sneer from Harry.

Alice focused on Harry, who was clearly the one she needed to worry about. "I mean it, Harry. I really am sorry. Why are you so upset anyways? Are you two together or something?"

"As a matter of fact, we are! We're partners! So, just back off! You're a nice lady, Alice, and I like to consider ya a friend, but I won't tolerate that anymore!" he warned her upfront. There was no point in beating around the bush. Harry was the type of guy who spoke his mind and that was certainly what he was doing now.

"Oh, I promise, Harry! I did it only because I thought he was Ricky! Honest! I hadn't even met him before so I had no idea of knowing!" she defended herself. She crossed her arms nervously around her green shirt. Harry knew she had a point; she had never met him before and therefore couldn't have meant anything by it.

"Alright, well, we'll just forget it happened" sighed Harry, managing to give her a small smile to know he wasn't mad at her anymore. She sighed with relief, moving to stand next to Erin.

"I won't forget it" giggled Marv. Harry glared over at Harry, yet before he could say anything, Logan spoke up.

"I never would have guessed you guys to be gay." He looked to Marv. "I mean, I know I just met you, but you Harry, I've pictured you as more of a ladies man."

Harry smiled, showing his gold tooth. "Hey, I AM a ladies man! It just so happens the lady I ended up likin' the most, is a guy!"

Marv nodded proudly for a moment until his words sunk in. He turned to Harry. "Hey! You calling me a girl?" Harry didn't reply, just laughed at him. Marv frowned and said, "Well, in my defense, I'm not gay. I'm bi. I like women too." He flashed a grin over to Alice, who just smiled and shook her head.

Harry frowned at his words, hating the feeling of jealousy that kept washing over him. He needed to calm down; he knew Marv wasn't the type of guy to cheat. He knew Marv was the most loyal guy a lover could ask for, but the idea of Marv flirting with anyone made his blood boil. It was then he realized, this must have been the same feeling Marv would always feel back before he made his promise and always flirted with every woman he saw.

Marv was still unaware of Harry's change. He was still unaware that things were different between them now. Marv still believed that Harry was going to flirt with every woman he saw and this made Harry's heart ache. The loss of memory was truly getting annoying, for Harry had hoped that they were beyond all this.

Harry grabbed hold of Marv's sleeve and tugged him away from the group, muttering something about them needing to talk for a moment. He glanced back at his friends and could see Alice was still a bit shaken up. She truly did look sorry for what she had done. But he was done being mad at her; there was something more important to be dealt with now.

"Harry, what's wrong?" asked Marv, seeing Harry's unsettlement. "What? Are you mad cause I was flirting just now? It's not like you flirt all the time too!"

Harry sighed and looked down at the stage. He had been right; Marv did still think he flirted with everyone. "Marv, remember how I told ya I changed?"

Marv shrugged. "Yeah."

"I really meant it. I don't flirt with anyone now. It really pissed me off when I saw Alice kissin' ya" he told him, staring into Marv's eyes.

Marv considered this for a moment. There was a time when Harry wouldn't have cared less if a woman kissed him. He would have made some remark about it being a miracle he even got a woman to kiss him to begin with. Now suddenly Harry was pissed off about it? Clearly something had changed. "It's okay, Harry. I was only teasing. I mean, Alison is pretty—"

"Alice" Harry corrected him.

"-She's pretty and all, but Harry….I'm only interested in you. But you're the one who's always going off flirting and ignoring me! I'm sure you were all over Miss Coral—"

"Miss Cora!" corrected Harry again.

"Whatever!" shouted Marv in frustration. He didn't care if everyone was looking at them. "You were flirting with her, I'm sure of it!"

"I was not!" argued Harry, hating the fact that he was being accused for something he hadn't done. "Marv! I didn't flirt with her! I was too busy being worried about you!"

"Yes, you were! I-" Marv paused, thinking back to their time in the hospital and remembering that not once did Harry flirt with her in his presence and he was sure by Harry's anger that he hadn't when they had been alone either. "Oh…you didn't flirt with her…"

Harry nodded; glad Marv was finally seeing things clearly. "No, I didn't. Because I've been worried about you." He stepped closer to Marv and said softly, "I love ya, Marvin…."

Marv smiled at his words, his face going red. "Love you too, Harry."

The shorter man gave his hand a squeeze before turning back to the group. It was at this moment David appeared and stepped before the stage.

"Alright, everyone! Come on! Let's get this over with!" he called everyone over. Logan, Erin, and Alice walked up next to Harry and Marv, who had already been near David.

Alice walked up behind Harry and whispered, "I really am sorry, Harry."

Harry turned back to her with a smile, "Don't worry about it." He turned back to David.

They all listened as David gave out his orders and when everyone left to go do as they were told, Harry and Marv stayed in place. David saw this and raised an eyebrow at them. "You're not doing as I told you…" he mumbled.

"We will" assured Harry. "But first, David, I want you to meet Marv." He gestured to Marv, who shook David's hand.

"You don't work for me" commented David, looking Marv up and down.

"Uhh….no. I don't…" stuttered Marv, clearly intimidated as he took back his hand.

"No, he doesn't, but he would like to" offered Harry, stepping in.

David suddenly looked at Marv in a whole new light. "Oh! I see! Well, that's good! I'm always looking for people!"

"Yeah, he and I are partners and he just got out of the hospital. We both need jobs—well, I don't anymore—but Marv does, so I figured he could work here too with me and the others" explained Harry.

David nodded slowly. "Okay. Do you have any theater experience?" he asked Marv.

Marv silently shook his head as Harry said sarcastically, "He doesn't have a whole lot of life experience either…"

David laughed. "Well, sure. I mean, I'm not gonna have to worry he's gonna fall of the stage or anything, will I? Or worse, the cat walks?"

Harry thought about it for a moment, easily able to see Marv doing either. They both watched as Marv looked up at the ceiling. "It might happen." David gave him a look of surprise. "But that's what I'm here for! I'll be here! We've worked together for years! I know what he's like! So long as he works near me, he'll be fine!"

David nodded. "Alright, you're hired" he said to Marv. "But don't make me regret it!"

Marv beamed, completely oblivious that they had been insulting him the whole time for be had been staring at the line sets high above them. "Thanks! Thanks so much! Don't you worry! I'll be a great worker!" Marv went to walk around the other side of Harry only to fall off the stage a few steps later. David and Harry looked down at him skeptically as he called up to them, "I'm alright!"

David gave him a sigh of reluctance. "Perhaps I spoke too soon. I'm gonna need a drink after this…." The stage manager then walked off without another word. Harry watched him go a moment before jumping off the stage to check on Marv.

He leaned down for Marv was sitting on the floor and shaking his head. "You hear that, Marv? You're hired!" he smiled and kissed Marv on the forehead.

Marv looked up at him and nodded. "Yeah! It's great!"

Harry offered Marv a hand and as Marv got to his feet he said, "Come on, we've got work to do."

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Author's Note: You're welcome, Aline. XD LOL


	15. Chapter 15

**Finding Sleep **

**Chapter 15**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

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Soft snores were the only thing that could be heard in the hotel room that the Wet Bandits were currently staying in. On the large king sized bed lay Harry and Marv, the latter having stolen all the pillows for himself.

Harry, his head resting on the mattress rather than a pillow, wrinkled his nose a bit as sleep left him and reality started to sweep in. He was tired; he didn't wish to get up. He didn't understand why his muscles felt as drained as they did. It had been last night that Marv had managed to snatch a job at the Performing Arts Center along with Harry. The All Call had not been all that strenuous. So that was not the problem?

Harry kicked his legs back and forth under the sheets, causing them to get even more tangled than they already were. He reached up and rubbed at his eyes before opening them. The white ceiling above him was what greeted him. He gave a tired sigh and glanced over at Marv, who was sleeping beside him.

The taller bandit had once again covered his head in pillows, claiming them all for himself, and was bundled up underneath his own share of sheets. Marv was known for hogging the sheets and pillows, so Harry was not at all surprised to learn that most where currently wrapped around his lover.

Yawning, Harry stretched before turning himself towards Marv and peering over at the bundle of pillows and blankets. "Marv" he said quietly. The bundle didn't reply. "Marv!" he said louder.

Still nothing. Harry smirked before lifting the edge of the top comforter. He still couldn't see Marv since there was still other layers of sheets covering him. He tossed aside the comforter and lifted the next sheet. He was greeted by the sight of Marv's shaved head. This caused the hot-tempered bandit to frown; he missed Marv's curls, but he knew they would grow back soon.

Gently, Harry found his shoulder and shook him. This got a reaction out of Marv. The taller man groaned and shifted underneath the pile of sheets. "Hmmm…..what?"

"It's time to get up!" announced Harry.

Marv groaned and shook his head. "No, it isn't…"

Harry shook his head with a smirk. "Yeah, it is, Marv! Come on! We have a big day ahead of us!"

"Big day? What are we doing?"

"We're going shopping."

"Shopping? For what?"

"For groceries and clothes! I'm tired of always havin' to wear the same clothes, aren't you?" explained Harry, pulling himself up into a sitting position. He watched as Marv stretched like a cat since he had been lying on his stomach. He groaned some more before finally managing to sit up, facing the opposite way of Harry. Harry watched as Marv went to run a hand through his curls, only to remember they were no longer there.

Marv sighed. "I keep forgetting they're not there…."

Harry nodded glumly, knowing what he was talking about. "Relax, Marv, they'll grow back." He patted Marv on the shoulder.

The sheets fell off Marv's shoulders, revealing his bare chest. Both of them were in nothing but their boxers. "Where are we going to get our clothes and groceries?"

Harry shrugged, pulling the last of the sheets off him and sliding to the edge of the bed so that he could stand. "I don't know. For groceries? Probably just some local grocery store. I'm not picky. As for clothing stores? I don't know that either. We'll just have to scope the area out and find some good clothing stores. We don't really have to worry none about price." He stood and reached for the large bag full of money and lifted it up for Marv to see.

Marv looked over at the green bag, knowing it was filled with money, though a frown came upon his face as he realized; he had no recollection of how they came upon that money and it left him feeling slightly ominous about it. He didn't bother asking Harry once again where they had gotten the money because he knew the shorter man wasn't going to tell him. That was considered, "bad times" from those few days he couldn't remember and Harry was determined to keep those times from him.

"Why do we even need groceries? We're living in a hotel room" Marv asked pointedly.

"Because we can't live off room service! It's expensive, that's why!" snorted Harry in reply, shaking his head at the question.

Marv idly watched as Harry started getting dressed. Harry noted this and grimaced. "Ya gonna sit there and stare at me all day, or are ya actually gonna get a move on?"

This got Marv moving. "Oh, right…" he mumbled and pushed the sheets and comforter off and him and started for his clothes.

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The two bandits could not remember the last time they had gone grocery shopping. Perhaps it was because the last year they had spent in jail and the year before that they had spent scouring the streets looking for a home and stealing whatever they could to get some money for basics, like, toilet paper, bread, milk, and adult magazines.

Now, however, was the first time in a long time that they were actually grocery shopping; legit grocery shopping.

Harry grabbed a cart after walking into the grocery store and started walking off with it, the wheels squeaking softly in its wake. He ignored the other costumers as they walked by, only mildly aware that for once, neither of them were being stared at.

The shorter man started walking; though when he felt a hand on the cart and stopped it. Just as he was about to open his mouth and curse at the person who stopped him, he realized it was only Marv. He watched with wide eyes as Marv took a sanitary wipe from the container offered and wiped it all over the handle to the shopping cart. After a moment, Marv dubbed the handle clean and smiled up at Harry.

Harry gave him a sarcastic smile in reply. "Is the cart safe to use now, Marvin?"

Marv nodded. "Yep! No germs on that handle!"

Harry shook his head, pushing the cart forwards, silently declaring it would be best not to say anything and avoid the risk of hurting Marv's feelings. The two of them started to walk through the store, eyeing everything they walked past. After having lived in jail for the past year and having only been out of jail for a little less than two weeks now, the two bandits were looking at the food with wide, enthralled eyes.

They could feel their stomachs begging for the food they looked at.

"Ohh, everything looks so tasty, Harry!" groaned Marv as he looked down at the refrigerated containers of Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes and rice. "What are these?" He picked up the container of food.

Harry looked up from the container of potato salad he was looking at. "Oh, those are for when you want quick home cooked meals. Ya just microwave them. Ya know, those may not be a bad idea to have. Neither of us can cook to save our lives."

Marv shook his head. "That's not true! I can make a mean mac n' cheese!" he grinned childishly.

Harry shook his head. "That's not what I meant by cooking! And you always burn some of the noodles! An eight year old could do that!" Marv ignored the insult and imagined a kid living at home eating mac n' cheese for dinner. Harry, however, was back to picking out some food. "Well, pick out some of those. They'll be easy and quick for us to eat. I'd pick out about six of them. Make sure to get a variety."

Marv nodded and began picking out some of the containers of food that looked appetizing. He made sure to get things that he knew Harry would like; for he knew he would get in trouble if he didn't. Thankfully he and Harry had very similar tastes in food. Marv collected the containers he wanted and started putting them into the cart.

"Do you like cheese?" asked Harry randomly.

"What kind?"

"Swiss."

Marv made a face. "Not really."

Harry put the cube of wrapped cheese back.

They eventually made their way towards the bakery and Harry knew it would be hard for both of them to get out of that section of the store without buying everything in sight. There was everything from fresh doughy bread to chocolate chip cookies on display around them. There was a counter on the far right of the store filled with cakes, doughnuts, cookies, and cupcakes. Both bandits looked at the glassed display with interest.

"I'd end up weighing three hundred pounds if I had my way with those sweets" commented Harry with a shake of his head. He grinned up at Marv, his gold tooth shining. "You know me and my sweet tooth."

Marv laughed with a nod. "You bet a do. I thought I had a sweet tooth! Not compared to you!" He took a moment to laugh. "So I guess this means no sweets for us?"

Harry didn't answer right away, looking as though he wanted to just push the cart and be on their way, but his eyes landed on the glazed doughnuts. "Hmmmm…."

"May I help you?" came the voice of a young girl working behind the display in the bakery. Both men looked up at the sound of her voice.

Marv went to shake his head in a negative, when Harry beat him to it. "Yes, we would like half a dozen of your glazed doughnuts."

Marv laughed. "Harry!"

Harry, unfazed by Marv's laughter, just grinned at him. "We each get three."

Marv continued to laugh as the woman collected the doughnuts, placed them in a white bag and placed a price tag on them. "Here you go, sirs. Have a nice day."

The two men walked off once the doughnuts were safely inside the cart. "That was very unlike you!" accused Marv lightly as they walked into the produce section.

Harry gave him an incredulous look. "What do ya mean?"

"You….being in such a happy, childish…..mood."

"I'm being childish?" challenged the shorter man. His eyes landed on some containers of watermelon and pointed at them. "Want some?"

Marv nodded. "Sure." He watched as Harry put it in the cart. He then got back to the point he was trying to make. "And yes, you were being childish back there! Going all goofy for the doughnuts!"

Harry pushed forward, making his way through the produce and not seeing anything in particular he wanted. "And that's your definition of childish? Getting excited over getting some doughnuts?"

"Yes! Kids get excited about doughnuts!" argued Marv, a smile playing on his lips.

Harry shook his head, bemused. "Marv, you get excited when ice cream truck goes by."

Marv blinked down at Harry, clearly not understanding what was wrong with a fully grown man doing that. "What? It's the ice cream man! Everyone loves the ice cream man! When the little jingle starts playing I just get all-" Marv trailed off, suddenly seeing Harry's point. "Oh…."

Harry nodded as he went down the first aisle, glad that Marv was seeing his point. There was nothing wrong with indulging yourself with a nice treat every now and then; so long as it wasn't in too childish of a way.

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It had been a good hour since the two of them found themselves at the checkout lines. Even though they had been searching around the store looking for food, the two of them had not collected a whole lot of groceries into their cart. Harry made sure not to go overboard with buying groceries since there was still the task of getting them back to the hotel room. What had taken them so long was that every time Marv had found something he liked, he found the need to make Harry stop, look at it, and explain the last time he remembered having them, before putting the item back.

Usually this was something that would tick Harry off and get his temper flaring, but the shorter man was surprised when he realized; it hadn't bothered him at all. The two of them were finally doing something normal; something everyone does daily in their lives; no more running from the cops, no more scheming heists, no more guns, no more thievery; just honest grocery shopping. This fact alone was what Harry guessed was keeping him in such a good mood.

Marv was biting his nails once more, practically looking nervous as they walked up to an open cashier. Harry noted this and spoke quietly, "What's with ya, Marv? There's nothin' to be worried about. It's not like we're tryin' to steal all this stuff."

Marv nodded at his words, knowing they were true, but that was not what was worrying him. Sure, he wasn't used to walking up to the cashier and actually buying something, which he was unhappy to admit, but what Harry didn't know was that there was something else on his mind. He could remember one particular time he had been in a grocery store like this and it was a memory he would sooner wish to forget.

As they walked up to the conveyor belt, Harry, who was still steering the cart, urged him on. "Go on, Marv! Start putting things on the belt!" Marv nodded, pulling his hand away from his mouth and started putting everything on the belt. He practically flinched when the belt started moving and their items moved up closer to the cashier. The old man at the cash register watched Marv with a raised eyebrow, clearly not understanding his awkward and nervous behavior.

Once everything was up on the conveyor belt, Marv moved down the aisle so that Harry could push the cart through. Marv pulled his brown jacket closer to him and ran a hand over his short, prickly hair.

The man started pulling everything they had bought through the scanner, little beeps coming from the machine before him. The two bandits had really just gotten some snacks for them to munch on so that they wouldn't have to go out to eat every time they were hungry. Harry also knew Marv had a bottomless pit for a stomach and with his thin build, the shorter man had no idea where all that food went. The two of them had also been sure to get a good supply of beer to have on hand.

After the final item beeped, the older man checked the screen and turned to Harry. "You're total is $73.89."

Harry's eyes widened at the price as he pulled out some of the money he had taken from the bag earlier. "That much?" He grouched. "Since when did groceries cost this much?"

The old man took the money out of Harry's hand and gave a sigh. "I know. I hear that a lot working here. It's the economy. It's starting to go downhill. I remember a time when all this stuff could have been bought for half the price!" The old man put the correct amount of money into the machine and the money drawer came out.

Harry nodded as he accepted his change. "I know, it's crazy!"

"Here's your receipt. You gentlemen have a nice day!" waved the old man before attending to the next customer. Marv started collecting the bags that now contained their groceries. They boy who was helping put them into bags smiled at them yet said nothing.

Both bandits carried two bags in each hand and walked out the door. The cold air reached their faces and sent chills into their bones. After shivering, Marv asked, "Now what?"

"Now, we catch a bus and go back to the hotel to drop this stuff off. We put this stuff away and go get ourselves some new clothes."

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That was a task easier said than done. The bus had taken forever to get to the bus stop and the two of them had been forced to freeze out in the cold for nearly twenty minutes waiting even though they had heavy jackets on. The two of them had stayed close together in hopes to preserve heat. By the time the bus did roll around, there was a crowd of people inside, making them have to squeeze through with the grocery bags in their hands. The whole time both of them wondered if the plastic bags were going to hold all their clothes since they were starting to wear thin from the heavy items inside.

It was not until they had gotten off the elevator floor and started walking to their hotel room did the inevitable finally happen. Marv had been walking behind Harry and waiting for him to open the door when the bags he was carrying finally gave out and all the contents of the bags fell to the carpeted floor with several loud thuds.

"Perfect….." grumbled Harry, opening the door to their room.

Marv looked around him, now surrounding in half their groceries and still holding the now broken plastic bags. "Whoops…"

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"They really shouldn't have put so many items in so few of bags, you know?" Marv was saying as he put away the beer bottles ten minutes later. The two of them had made a team effort of cleaning up the mess after Harry set his own bags into the room. Harry nodded, seeing Marv's point.

"Yeah, but Marv, they do that for a reason. A person can only carry so many bags, so they try to put as much into one bag as possible. Plus, it saves on the plastic bags" he explained as he put some bags of chips up on the counter. The two of them were silent for several minutes before Harry spoke again, putting the last of the groceries away by putting the bag of doughnuts on the counter next to the chips. "Hey, Marv?"

"Hmmm?" mumbled Marv from the other side of the kitchen. He was currently trying to read the side of a cereal box.

"Why were you actin' so nervous at the checkout line?"

Marv's eyes darted over to Harry at this question, reminding the shorter man of a deer caught in the headlights. The lanky man shrugged. "No reason."

Harry narrowed his eyes. "No, seriously, Marv. Why were so nervous?" He noted the slightly haunted look in Marv's chocolate eyes.

"Just not used to getting groceries….That's all…." He mumbled and looked away, clearly not wanting to discuss it any further. Yet Harry wasn't about to let it go. After all this time, Marv was the one bugging him about his actions and why he had done them, such as getting the gun, now it was his turn to ask some questions. He didn't care if Marv remembered that event or not.

Yet instead of yelling at him and forcing it out of him, the shorter man decided to take a different action. He grabbed the bag of doughnuts and opened it up, pulling two of them out. Marv had turned his head at the sound of the bag crinkling and watched Harry curiously. Both of them were just wearing a shirt and jeans, having taken off their heavier winter clothing. Marv, meanwhile, went to the fridge and pulled out two beers, handing one over to Harry. "You're eating those now? You just got them. And plus, you'll only have one left for yourself since the other three would be for me."

Harry shook his head. "These aren't both for me" he told the lanky man, accepting the beer. He offered one to Marv, who happily took it. Thinking that the worst of the conversation was over, Marv wasn't expecting Harry to say, "Come on, Marvin. Tell me what's bothering you."

Marv stopped in mid motion, his eyes turning to Harry. "Oh, not that again…." He groaned. He sighed. "Fine!" Harry walked over to Marv and wrapped an arm around his thin middle; both of them leaning on the counter. Marv bit into his doughnut, looking sullen for reason Harry wasn't sure of. Looking up into his friend's face it occurred to the shorter man that this was a far deeper issue than he had realized.

Marv chewed slowly and when he finally swallowed, he spoke quietly, his body going slightly tense in Harry's half embrace. "Well, you know I didn't really have a good childhood, right Harry?"

Harry nodded, having been told bits and pieces from Marv himself about his childhood. It was not something the usually positive and cheery man liked to talk about and therefore Harry had just let it go. He knew lots of people who have had rough lives and knew better than to stick his nose too deep into them. What Harry didn't understand was what this had to do with being nervous at the grocery store.

"Well…..My parents…didn't want me. I was unexpected. So, I wasn't ever treated very nicely when I was a kid and…..I lived with my parents….well, mainly my mom….till I was about ten…It was…." Marv stopped for a moment, trying to figure out the best way to explain. He took a long hard swig of his beer before setting it on the counter. It was also obvious this was painful and not something he wanted to talk about. It made Harry cringe at the thought that he was the one who was making him talk about to begin with, but he listened, not caring about himself for the moment.

"The day my mom….left me…..We were at the grocery store….waiting in line. She told me to go and get a bottle of bleach…..Said she had forgotten it….I…never saw her….again" The taller man trailed off as he shut his eyes tightly. He pulled himself away from Harry just in time for the other man to realize he was trembling severely. Marv covered his eyes with a hand, setting the barely eaten doughnut on the counter. He was quick to grab the bottle of beer he had set on the counter though. "I….really don't want to talk about this Harry…." Without another word Marv darted off across the room and into their bedroom, where he shut the door.

Harry watched with sad eyes, knowing he had to let his friend and lover go. He should have known better than to bug Marv about it, but he had no idea it would bring up such bad memories. How was he supposed to know asking why he was so nervous at the grocery store would have this effect on him? Marv had never mentioned anything of the sort to Harry; or anyone else for that matter. There was no way for him to have known. Yet the guilt still tore at him as he looked at the closed bedroom door. He took a deep breath and quickly finished off his doughnut, no longer tasting the sugary taste of it. Instead he could only feel the thick lump go down his throat. He picked up Marv's doughnut and placed it back in the bag for him to finish later. He knew it would be best to leave Marv alone for a while before they went back out to buy some clothes.

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An hour later, Harry, who had been watching boring day time shows, finally turned off the television and put down the remote. Marv had yet to come out of their bedroom and it was starting to make him worry. Marv had taken in a beer with him, but he knew that wasn't even close enough to make the man become drunk and pass out.

The guilt had subsided enough for Harry to know it was time for him to step and do something. Ever since the two of them had gotten out of jail it had been all about working things out with Harry's feelings and getting him to open more about his securities and getting him to change his criminal ways. With a determined look on his face, Harry stood, knowing it was time to sort things out with Marv and his questionable past.

The hot-tempered bandit had known Marv for a long time, practically since before Marv was a teenager and had often felt as a guardian or older brother to the other man. Marv had become so attached to Harry so quickly that the he had really no choice but to have him tag along in his life.

Harry pushed aside his brooding thoughts and walked over to the bedroom door. He opened the door without even thinking to knock. He was not the type of guy to follow proper mannerisms. "Marv?" he called as he peered into the room. His eyes landed on the bed, where he could see Marv sitting there pushed up against the pillows and holding the bottle of beer in his hands. Harry noted that the bottle was empty. "Marv?"

Harry hadn't known what he had been expecting when he was going to open that door, but a part of him had figured Marv would have passed out and been asleep. So he was mildly surprised to see Marv awake.

Marv glanced up at Harry, a sullen look on his face. "Hey, Harry…" he mumbled, moving to set the empty beer bottle on the night stand.

"So….what was that back there? Ya okay? It's not really like ya to just get up and leave like that" Harry bluntly told him, not wishing to spend time with small talk. He wanted to know what was going on. This was very out of character for the usually positive, talkative bandit.

Marv shook his head, a tiny smile trying to form on his lips. He scratched behind his head, tracing the scar from the surgery, before saying, "Sorry about that Harry, it's just….it brought back some memories I don't like thinking about…."

Harry nodded, standing before him as Marv moved to the edge of the bed. "It's about how your mom left ya?"

Marv nodded. "Yeah, it's not something I like to think about."

Harry nodded. "Can't say I blame ya there. I know I wouldn't want to talk about it. Hell, I don't like talkin' about my past either. I mean, sure, my parents didn't leave me, but there were days when I sure wish they would have! My mom was nothing but a nag and my dad—"

"Harry, let's not talk about it" interrupted Marv urgently.

Harry blinked down at him. "Uhh…Okay…"

"It's just…..being at the store today brought back some shit I really wish was in the past and forgotten, okay? I didn't mean to freak out on you, but you're the one who kept asking" snapped Marv. He tensed up as Harry went to sit down beside him. "So….I would prefer it if we could just forget this ever happened. There are just some things I'm not used to, Harry. I've been a burglar ever since I can remember and today I remembered just how I got to be one, okay?" Harry nodded, yet before he could say anything, Marv continued. "I know you've had a rough life too, an even rougher one than me. I get that, but that doesn't make it any easier on me. For about three years before I met you, I had no one. And….here you are suddenly being Mr. Sensitivity and being all sweet and loving towards me, we suddenly have money, living in a nice hotel, we're actually buying groceries, and later we're going to be shopping for clothes?" Marv shook his head a bit in disbelief. "It's just weird and it all happened so damn fast!"

Harry, meanwhile, just sat there and took it all in. It made perfect sense that Marv would be a little freaked out by it all. It was certainly a big change for someone to accept so quickly. He knew Marv was not used to living a 'normal' lifestyle and he figured it would be an adjustment for both them, he just had had no idea Marv would be taking it the way he is now. The older man nodded, wrapped an arm around Marv's waist. "That makes perfect sense Marv?"

Marv looked down at him. "It does?"

"Sure it does! It is an adjustment. It is a lot to take in. Hell, I'm not even sure if I'm fully accepting all that's going on. It IS weird knowing we have money and a roof over our heads. I know it's been years since I've lived that way."

"We did live in that run down house a few years back" Marv pointed out.

Harry made a face. "That doesn't really count. That place had a cockroach infestation."

Marv grimaced. "I remember the time I nearly ate one cause I wasn't paying attention to my sandwich."

Both men shivered at the gross memories of their former 'home'. Yet Harry took this chance to continue. "Yeah, we have had it rough, Marv, but things are going to change for a us now. Things are finally going to be going our way. We're starting new" He took a finger and poked Marv in the chest. "You are now Marv Rinehart—" He then poked himself in the chest. "—And I am now Harold Murphy. We're not the Wet Bandits anymore."

"Sticky Bandits" corrected Marv quietly. Harry just rolled his eyes.

"Whatever! Point is, we're not them anymore! We've moved on! Maybe not in the way we thought we would, but we are" concluded Harry, leaning up and giving Marv a kiss on the cheek. "Now enough of this mushy shit, let's go get ourselves some new clothes!" He stood up, encouraging Marv to follow. The taller man stood with a smile, suddenly feeling that everything would be alright after all, even if there were still a few anxieties he would have to learn to live with.

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If the two men had believed getting groceries would be an event, neither of them had any idea what going actual shopping would be like. As Marv had mentioned, neither of them were used to shopping and doing such 'normal' activities. They had worn the same wardrobe for years and now that they had been on the run for the last two weeks, they currently didn't have one at all. Harry had been right, they couldn't wear the same clothes over and over again; no matter how often they washed them. Soon people at their work would start to question it.

Harry and Marv had once again boarded the bus to take them into the downtown area to shop and once again, the two of them found themselves freezing in the January air.

"Why does it have to be so cold…." Groused Marv as he put his hands together and blew into them. How he wished his gloves. They may have been fingerless, but they kept his hands warmer than having no gloved at all.

"It's winter, Marv. What do you expect?" snapped Harry, hating the cold as well.

"I hate winter…."

"So do I, but stop your bitchin'" he looked up to see a clothing store they were walking by. "Let's check this place out. It looks nice."

"I don't care where we go, so long as we get out of this cold!"

Marv was quick to follow his lover as they two of them walked into the first grocery store that didn't look like a place millionaires shopped at.

The store sold both men and women's clothing since it was a large enough store to do so. As they walked in, the first thing they noticed was there was more than one floor to the store, for there was an escalator that could be seen further into the store. There were several service stations around the store where one could check out.

Marv started biting his nails, once again getting the feeling that they shouldn't be there. The two of them stuck out like sore thumbs. "So, where do we start, Harry?"

Harry shrugged, digging his hands into his coat pockets. "Ya expect me to know? I haven't gone shoppin' like this before?"

"Should we just go In the men's section?"

Harry turned to Marv and gave him a deadpan look. "No, Marv, I thought we would start in the women's department. We could both use some new sundresses!" he snarled sarcastically.

Marv shrugged. "I don't think they have any in our sizes…." He mumbled behind his biting of the nails.

Harry ignored his comment and started heading off the direction of the men's clothing; Marv following him like a shadow. There was a great variety of clothes there. Everything from casual to fancy tuxes. "Just start lookin' through the racks and pick out some things you like. And make sure they're all in your size."

Marv pulled his hand away from his mouth; forcing himself to stop biting his nails, and did as he was told. There were a lot of nice shirts, all of which he once dreamed of wearing. Yet there was a difference between wishing to wear certain clothes to actually getting the chance to buy them. It was a little unnerving. Harry had made sure to bring even more money with them this time since he knew the money would easily spent in a place like this.

Marv was looking at an auburn colored T-shirt when a female voice spoke before him. "Hi, Marv!"

Marv looked up at the voice. Alice and Erin from the Performing Arts Center were standing on the other side of the rack of clothes. They were both wearing thick coats since it was cold outside and they looked to be all bundled up, yet ready to do some shopping since their purses were slung over their shoulders. He blinked at them; having only met them once and not sure he truly knew them. Though the older woman with dark hair certainly stuck him as familiar.

Before Marv had a chance to say anything, Harry walked up beside him and smiled, "Hey, fancy seein' you fine ladies here today!"

"Do we know them?" whispered Marv into Harry's ear.

Harry frowned. "We work with them!" Marv still had a clueless expression on his face. "At the Performing Arts Center!" Still no recollection. "We just saw them yesterday!" Still nothing. Harry pointed to Alice. "She's the woman who kissed you because she thought you were her husband!"

Alice looked down, clearly still embarrassed by the incident.

Recollection finally shone in Marv's eyes. "Oh, yeah…." He chuckled nervously. "Sorry about that…."

"It's okay" Alice replied.

"So, are you guys out shopping?" Erin spoke up, clearly seeing some tension start to build.

Thankful for the change of topic, Harry nodded. "Yes, we are. Marv and I pretty much need entirely new wardrobes. We basically took a look at our current one and said, 'We need new ones'." He chuckled.

Marv scratched the back of his head. "We did?"

Harry gave him a pointed look. "Yes, we did."

"I didn't even think we HAD wardrobes since—"

Harry was quick to elbow him in the gut, causing the taller man to nearly double over and stop talking. Seeing the odd looks from Alice and Erin, he smiled, his gold tooth showing and said, "Since we've moved here to New York is what he means. The move was hard on us and we basically lost everything."

"That's terrible" gushed Alice, placing a hand over her chest. "Did you guys lose track of the moving van or something?"

Harry stared at her for a moment as though she had spoken a different language before managing to find some words to say to her. "Yeah—That's what happened."

"That happened to my friend once…It sucks…" sighed Erin.

Marv just silently watched the three of them talk, clearly out of the conversation and clearly unaware of what was going on. Though he knew Harry would just elbow him once again if he tried saying anything, so he turned his attention back to the auburn shirt he was eyeing before they arrived.

There was an awkward silence for several moments before Alice started speaking, "Oh, we're sorry, we're probably bothering the two of you! We just wanted to stop over and say hi." He gestured between the two of them. "We live in the same apartment building and we often do our shopping together. It's not really safe to wonder around the city by yourself, you know? Safety in numbers, right?"

Harry nodded, understanding their strategy and believing it to be wise. "Smart move. But no, you're not botherin' us. We just got here and frankly….." he took a moment to laugh. "We have no idea what we're doin'"

Marv shook his head, not paying attention to the conversation, as he pulled the tag out of the shirt collar and read it. "What does 'L' stand for?" All eyes landed on Marv as he looked up at them. He showed them the tag. "Look, it says 'L'." He looked to another shirt. "This one says, 'S'! What does it mean? Is it some sort of code? Collect the alphabet and you win a prize or somethin'? Where's 'M'? I want an 'M'. Then it can stand for 'Marv'."

Harry sighed and turned to the girls. "See what I mean?"

Alice and Erin laughed. Erin walked over closer to Marv. "You seriously don't know what those letters mean?"

Marv looked up at her, innocence and curiosity written all over his face. "No, do you?"

Erin laughed before replying. "They stand for the sizes."

"How? Does 'L' stand for size 8, cause that's my size in pants…."

Erin shook her head. "No, they're short for: Small, Medium, and Large."

"So….They're not a code for winning prizes?"

Erin couldn't keep back her giggles. "Nope. Sorry…."

Harry turned to Alice. "So, as you can see, we're pretty much lost. I know more of what I'm doin', but Marv….?" He gave his lover a skeptical look. "He's a bit hopeless."

"Well, do you guys want some help? Erin and I can help you pick some stuff out if that's what you're worried about" offered Alice. Harry looked as though he was about to say something, but Alice beat him to it. "Relax, we know what looks good on guys. We can help you pick out some nice shirts, direct you to some nice pants, show you were the shoe section is, stuff like that." She shrugged. "We have nothing else better to do, right, Erin? We just came over here for something to do."

Erin nodded, pulling her red pea coat closer to her. "Right. We were just kind of bored…"

"My husband is watching Jennifer for the day, so we thought we'd have a girl's day" explained Alice.

Harry shook his head. "Ya don't have to—"

"We want to" insisted Alice with a soft smile.

Harry went to open his mouth and say no, but he found that he simply couldn't. He knew he and Marv would be lost in finding themselves some decent clothes. With the girls there helping them, getting clothes would be so much easier. They knew what would look good on them and make them look attractive yet masculine at the same time, they would be able to help them figure out how to save money and get good deals. He smirked at them. "Alright, you can help. We'd appreciate it."

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The next several hours were spent picking out and trying on clothes for the two men. Neither Marv or Harry had been happy when they learned they would be forced to try most of the clothes on, but at the end of the day they were glad, for they found out they were not the same sizes they used to be the last time they had gone shopping.

It turned out in the past year Marv had lost weight and had gone down a size in all his clothing. Harry had also lost weight and was now two pants sizes smaller than he used to be. Both bandits silently figured that it was probably their time in jail that had caused them to lose such weight.

Marv had also quickly learned from Erin why his pants always seemed too short for him. She had taught him that there was a thing as 'tall' jeans, specially made for those who were tall with lanky builds.

At the end of the shopping spree, Harry had gotten twelve shirts, six pairs of pants, two new pairs of shoes, three scarves, some underwear and socks, a new winter coat, and a new woolen hat to go along with his coat. Marv on the other hand, had gotten thirteen shirts, five pairs of pants, underwear and socks, a scarf, three pairs of shoes, and two pairs of woolen gloves.

Harry, of course, had not been happy about the final price, which was easily in $400 range, but Do youhe knew it was bound to happen. Owning clothes was expensive; especially if you wanted good clothes that would last you a long time.

As they four them started heading towards the exit of the store, a thought came to Erin. "Oh, hey, didn't you guys say yesterday that you need a place to live here in New York?"

Harry looked over at her, who was on the other side of Marv. "Yeah. For the time bein' we've just been stayin' at a hotel. This was kind of an unplanned thing…..us movin' here…"

Erin looked up at Alice. "Alice, tell them about Mr. Johnson's apartment from upstairs."

Alice's dark eyes widened slightly as she recalled what Erin was speaking about. "Oh, right! Yes, our upstairs neighbor is selling his apartment. He's moved upstate. It's a nice apartment too. It had two bedrooms, a full kitchen, bathroom, nice view. Do you think you boys would be interested?"

Harry smiled widely, amazed at such luck. He hadn't even thought about trying to find a permanent place for them to live yet, knowing it wouldn't be an easy task, but it seemed it may not be so hard after all.

"Umm….wow! Yeah, that would be great! It sounds like a nice apartment!" beamed Harry, shifting his bags of clothes in his arms.

"We only need one bedroom though" Marv pointed out.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Forget about that, Marv! It's called having a Guest bedroom. People have extra bedrooms all the time…It's a place you can sleep when I can't stand to look at ya after you embarrass me again!"

Marv considered this, not even bothering to deny it; for he knew he embarrassed Harry all the time. "It would be nicer than sleeping on a ratty couch that's too short for me to sleep on anyways…"

"We'll give you Mr. Johnson's number so that you can contact him" said Alice, digging into her purse for a paper and pen.

"Yeah, thanks" smiled Harry, taking the number once Alice had written it down.

Erin shrugged it off. "Don't mention it. He's been tryin' to sell that place for a while now."

"Is it expensive?"

Alice shook his head. "Not really. And he's asking for a decent amount for an apartment like that. And the landlord is nice too."

Harry looked down at the number that was now in his hands. He could feel Marv lean down over his shoulder and look at the number as well. Just as Marv had mentioned earlier, it seemed like everything was moving so fast. They suddenly had an apartment offer? A two bedroom one at that? Neither bandit could believe their luck. It seemed that after everything that had happened to them, after being in jail for a year, running into the McCalister kid once more, getting beaten the hell out of by a kid, nearly getting thrown in jail again, stressing out in the hospital, and now struggling to get their new lives together; things were finally turning around for them.

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Harry and Marv had said goodbye to their girls after walking to the bus stop together. They hugged and said their thanks for what seemed like the hundredth time. The two of them had made their way back into their hotel room and dropped their new clothes onto the bed, marveling at all they had gotten. Yet their clothes were soon forgotten; even the ones they had been wearing, once they found themselves on the bed. They had pushed everything to the floor and enjoyed digging their tongues into each other's mouths and exploring each other's bodies.

For the first time in a long time, neither of them was stressed. Neither of them was worried about what they were going to do with themselves in the coming days. They knew nothing was set in stone; nobody said they were going to get that apartment, but there was still that sense of reassurance. Even if they didn't get that particular apartment, it would be easy for them to find another one; possibly and even better one.

One year ago, Harry Lyme and Marvin Merchants had been two men living in Chicago, stealing whatever they could sell from private homes. One year ago, they had been living scum, working their way through life with the aid of crime. One year ago, they had been miserable, bitter men who believed life to be unfair; for they were the ones who had to suffer while they watched everyone else live in the luxury of having a job and having money.

If they thought about it long enough, they almost had to thank Kevin McCalister for setting those booby traps on them; for if he hadn't, and they had managed to kill the kid or at least steal from his house like they had planned, they would probably still be living that same kind of live. Nothing would have changed for them. They would still be unhappy, miserable people who would still be trying to scrape money off of selling stolen goods.

As Marv and Harry made love to each other on the hotel bed, they knew everything was going to be alright. There would still be some bumps in the road, but after everything they have been through, they figured nothing could be that much worse.

"Harry…" whispered Marv after their lovemaking.

Harry held Marv close. "Yeah?"

"Are we going to take that apartment?"

"We're gonna look into it, yeah. We don't know if we'll get it, but we sure as hell will try."

Marv nodded against the pillows, his eyelids heavy. "That would be nice. And if we don't get it, we could try for another one, right?"

"Right."

"And now that we have money and nice jobs, we won't have to go back to stealin', right?"

Harry tensed a bit at this question. There was still the overwhelming need to steal that Harry still felt every now and then. When they had been in that store shopping with the girls, he had seen a few things he wouldn't have minded stealing. When he had been in the dressing room, there had been a part of him that had wanted to rip the tags off, put the shirt underneath his own like he had been wearing it and walk out like he owned the place. But he hadn't done those things. He hadn't done those things because he wanted to change his life. He was tired of feeling that he needed to steal in order to get by in life. It would not be an easy habit to get rid of; but no habit was easy to stop.

Harry pulled Marv closer. "Nope. Our criminal past is behind us, Marvin. I want to live a life without crime. Don't you think living together in a nice apartment together and going to work together like our dream has always been sound nice?"

Marv grinned. "Sounds great, Harry. I know I've never lived that kind of life."

Harry nodded, remembering earlier that day when Marv had thought about his past. "we've had it rough Marv. We've paid our dues though. I don't know about you, but I like the idea of spending the rest of my life livin' with ya and makin' you happy."

"You already make me happy, Harry" Marv pointed out.

"Alright, happy-ER, then."

Marv laughed. "Sounds good to me."

"Love ya, Marv."

"Love you too, Harry."

A calm silence fell between them as they enjoyed lying in bed together, having no intentions of getting up any time soon. Though Marv was the one who broke the silence a few minutes later.

"Heyyy…!" exclaimed Marv, sounding excited.

"What?"

"This now means we're the Rich Bandits!"

Harry shook his head, letting out a long loud sigh. "Shut up, Marv." He supposed some things would never change.

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THE END

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Author's Note: Well, I decided to end it here. I could pretty much go on forever with this, but I wanted to stop somewhere. I leave a few questions up in the air on purpose, simply because, well, there are no true happy endings, because life continues on. I just thought this would be a good place to end it. Thank you all for reading. Review please!


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